Farmer leader Baldev Singh, singer Deep Sidhu skip appearing before NIA

| | Chandigarh
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Farmer leader Baldev Singh, singer Deep Sidhu skip appearing before NIA

Monday, 18 January 2021 | PNS | Chandigarh

A day after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) issued summons to a farmer leader Baldev Singh Sirsa and Punjabi singer-actor Deep Sidhu as witnesses to a case registered on December 15, 2020, they skipped appearing before the probe agency on Sunday.

In all, the NIA had summoned at least 40 people for questioning in a case related to a ‘banned’ pro-khalistan outfit ‘Sikhs for Justice’ registered in Delhi by NIA on December 15, 2020, under stringent provisions of law, including UAPA and sedition. Of these, 12 are activists supporting the farmers’ ongoing agitation against the Centre’s three new farm laws demanding its repeal.

Among those issued notices include Baldev Singh Sirsa — who has been representing the farmers’ in meeting with the Union Ministers, Deep Sidhu — an actor-singer who had steered Bollywood star turned politician Sunny Deol’s election campaign during 2019 Lok Sabha polls in Gurdaspur, Jasbir Singh Rode — former jathedar (head priest) of Sikhs’ highest temporal seat Akal Takht, Baltej Pannu — a radio and TV journalist working with the US and Canada-based media organizations, among others.

Baldev Sirsa, the president of Lok Bhalai Insaf Welfare Society, citing “family engagements” as a reason for his non-appearance before the NIA, requested the national probe agency to give a date after February 7. “I will not appear before the NIA now because I will be busy in my granddaughter’s wedding and can appear before the agency only after February 7,” he said.

However, the farmers’ outfits have condemned the summons while dubbing the summons as “Government’s pressure tactics”.

“The Centre wants to derail the agitation. But we will continue our struggle for the repealing of the laws. Many people who are associated with the farmers’ agitation have been sent these notices,” said Sirsa.

Notably, the farm unions had earlier also raised the issue of NIA summoning those who have supported agitation with three Union Ministers — Narendra Tomar, Piyush Goyal and Som Parkash — during the ninth round of talks on January 15; and Tomar had “promised to look into the matter”.

The farmers’ unions have now decided not to appear before the NIA and to take up the NIA summons issue first with the Union Ministers during their January 19 meeting.

Actor Deep Sidhu, who has backed the protest against the Centre’s agriculture laws, has accused the Government of trying to ‘intimidate’ the protestors.

Activist and UK-based television journalist Jasveer Singh, Balwinder Pal Singh, Sukhpreet Singh Udhoke, Karnail Singh, Mandeep Singh, Paramjit Singh, Ranjit Singh, Surinder Singh, Pardeep Singh, Inderpal Singh Judge, Naresh Kumar and cable TV operator Jaspal Singh, are among others who have also received the NIA summons.

The NIA probe focuses on use of several NGOs for funding the Khalistani campaigns, particularly spearheaded by banned outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), abroad for organizing on-ground campaigns and demonstrations outside Indian missions in the UK, the US, Canada, Germany and other countries.

PUNJAB MINISTER LAMBASTS CENTRE, DUBS IT AS “A DEVIOUS PLOY”

Senior Congress leader and Cabinet Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Sunday slammed the Union Government over notices by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to the farmers and those lending support to the farmers protest.

“The farmers who feed the entire nation with his blood, sweat and toil cannot be cowed down by such empty threats which would to be very costly for the ruling dispensation at New Delhi,” quipped the Congress leader

Pointing out, Randhawa said that the notices by NIA are part of a devious ploy by the BJP Government to weaken the farmers’ movement being waged on the borders of Delhi. “This is not the first time since the last six and half years’ tenure of the NDA Government that government agencies have been misused for political purposes,” he said.

Terming the current period as the “darkest” in the annals of India’s democracy, Randhawa said that the constitutional institutions and independent Government agencies are being grossly undermined to achieve narrow political goals.

“BJP employs strong arm tactics to browbeat its opponents into submission and now this new satanic move would prove to be a disaster. Congress party and the State Government would always stand by the farmers and stoutly oppose such autocratic tactics,” said Randhawa, averring that there is no alternative left for the Centre except to repeal these black farm laws.

SUKHBIR CONDEMNS CENTRE FOR SUMMONING KHALSA AID FOR QUESTIONING BY NIA

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday said that it was condemnable that the Central Government did not find anything wrong with Khalsa Aid when it provided humanitarian aid in Gujarat but had unleashed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on the NGO for stepping in to help farmers agitating peacefully on the borders of Delhi.

“How is it possible that an organization, which is acclaimed by the country earlier, has suddenly turned bad simply because it has chosen to help farmers? Summoning people associated with Khalsa Aid by NIA is a clear sign of frustration. The Centre thinks it can weaken the farm protest by such intimidatory measures. Little does it know that the Kisan Andolan is only getting stronger due to these repressive steps,” said Sukhbir, while talking to the mediapersons in Ferozepur.

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