Punjab Congress leaders raise issue of ‘missing youths’ with Amit Shah

Security personnel keep vigil at Ghazipur border during the ongoing farmers’ agitation against the Centre’s farm reform laws, in New Delhi, on Monday. Pic/PTI

Congress MP Manish Tewari, and Punjab ministers Sukhjinder Randhawa and Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria met Home Minister Amit Shah in Parliament House on Monday and raised the issue of some youths from the state "missing" after the Red Fort violence on Republic Day. The Punjab leaders, also including MLA Raj Kumar Chhabbewal, expressed their concerns over the "missing youths" who were detained by the Delhi Police after the incident, and they demanded their early release. Sources said Shah assured them he will look into the matter.

The Delhi Police have said it filed over 35 cases and arrested more than 80 people in connection with the violence and vandalism in the national capital during a tractor parade on January 26 by the farmers protesting against the three new Central agriculture laws. Shah later informed the Congress leaders that he has directed the Delhi Police to release the list of all those arrested, the sources said.

Concerns have been raised in Punjab over some of the youths having gone "missing" after they were protesting at the Singhu border and had participated in the agitations at the Red Fort on Republic Day. Meanwhile, Punjab Congress MPs Jasbir Singh Gill and Gurjit Singh Aujla wore black gowns to protest against the contentious farm laws on Budget Day and held up posters proclaiming ‘I am also farmer' as the farmers' protests at the Delhi borders continued into February without any breakthrough.

The Congress has upped the ante on the issue of the farm laws with former party chief Rahul Gandhi demanding early solutions and warning that the protests may spread further. The Congress is demanding the repeal of the farm laws. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the all-party meeting on Saturday, had reiterated that the government's proposal of suspending the laws still stands.

Cops issue notices to tractor owners
Around 200 tractor owners have been issued notices by the Uttar Pradesh police, prompting senior SP leader Ram Govind Chaudhary to allege that the move was meant to threaten the farmers. The police, however, stated that the notices have nothing to do with the farmers' protest against the Centre's new agriculture laws.

Internet suspension extended till today
The Ministry of Home Affairs has extended the suspension of internet services at the farmer protest sites in Singhu, Ghazipur and Tikri borders till Tuesday night, officials said. Apart from the three border points, where farmers have been protesting since November, internet services will remain suspended in their adjoining areas too.