Akhilesh Yadav attacks UP govt over notices to farmers seeking personal bonds

Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo Akhilesh Yadav on Friday attacked the Uttar Pradesh government for sending notices to farmers asking them to submit personal bonds assuring there will be no breach of peace during protests against farm laws in Sambhal.

The district administration, however, cancelled the notices later.

"Even though the Supreme Court has given legal acknowledgement to peaceful protests by farmers, the BJP government in UP is lodging FIRs to realise Rs 50 lakh from them. There has never been an anti-people government like the BJP," the SP leader said in tweet in Hindi with the hashtag "#Nahi_Chahiye_Bhajapa (No more BJP)".

The Sambhal district administration on Friday cancelled the notices it earlier issued to 20 farmer leaders asking them to submit personal bonds of Rs 50,000 each over a police report that had warned of breach of peace during protests against the new farm laws.

"Notices served to all the 20 farmers to submit personal bonds of Rs 50,000 have been cancelled on police report," Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Deependra Yadav told PTI.

Those issued notices include Bharatiya Kisan Union (Asli) district president Rajpal Singh Yadav and farmer leaders Jaiveer Singh, Brahmachari Yadav, Satendra Yadav, Raudas and Veer Singh. They have been organising protests in the district over the Centre's three contentious farm legislations.

On Thursday, the SDM had said, "We've got a report from the Hayatnagar police station that some persons are inciting farmers and there can be breach of peace, and they should be asked to fill personal bonds of Rs 50 lakh each."

The farmers said the amount was too much, following which the police station in-charge gave another report and they were asked to submit personal bonds of Rs 50,000 each, the magistrate had said.

The notices had been issued under Section 111 (magistrate order against any person who is likely to commit breach of peace) of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition and SP leader Ram Govind Chowdhury issued a statement alleging that Prime Minister Narenda Modi and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath were playing into the hands of corporates "Adani and Ambani".

"The PM and the CM are speaking the language of a worker of Adani and Ambani groups," it said.

"If the farm laws are implemented, agriculture will be in the hands of corporates. Over 20 farmers have died during the agitation. These farmers should be declared martyrs," Chowdhury said.