Farmers began protesting against the contentious farm laws in November last year (File)
Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Sunday demanded the withdrawal of cases registered against farmers during their protest marches on June 26 to mark seven months of their agitation against the Centre's three farm laws.
SKM, the umbrella body of farmer units spearheading the agitation, said the Chandigarh police has charged several farmer leaders.
Farmers on Saturday marched towards the Raj Bhavan in different states to submit their memoranda, addressed to the President, and to governors to mark seven months of protests against the Centre's new laws.
"In Chandigarh, it is reported that FIRs have been filed against several SKM leaders and many other protestors under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code," the SKM said in a statement.
It alleged that after barricading the roads, the "police also resorted to using water cannons and lathicharge on the protestors".
"On top of this kind of undemocratic and authoritarian behaviour, cases are now being filed against SKM leaders. Samyukt Kisan Morcha condemns this and demands that the FIRs be withdrawn immediately and unconditionally," it said.
In many places, farmers were not allowed to even take out rallies to the Raj Bhavans and there were detentions and SKM leaders were locked in, it said.
"SKM condemns this and points out that this itself is an illustration of the failure of democracy and the undeclared emergency that we are going though," it said in the statement.
Noting that cases have been filed against 15 farmers in Hisar who had taken part in a protest against a BJP meeting on June 25, the SKM said the FIRs should be withdrawn immediately.
The farmers started their protest against the contentious farm laws in November last year and began camping at the Singhu border between Delhi and Haryana, besides at Tikri and Ghazipur borders.
The protesting farmers have called for the withdrawal of the new farm laws and that a new law be made to guarantee minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.
The protesting farmers will mark Monday as the "Kisan Mazdoor Bhaichara Diwas" at protest site near the Haryana-Rajasthan border, it added.