"State stopping farmers from exercising their fundamental rights," says advocate

"I have filed a PIL in favour of the farmers. The state is stopping the farmers from exercising their fundamental right to protest and they have installed barriers. As the citizens of India, they (farmers) have the right to move to any part of the country," he added.

Hitting out at the Haryana government over the suspension of internet services, Uday Pratap Singh said, "This is a violation of their fundamental rights. The PIL says that the internet must be reinstated."

"Three court hearings have already been conducted on the case. Today A-G Haryana himself appeared in the court. He appealed that a hearing on the case must be held today and farmers must be stopped from reaching Delhi. The court has declined his request and called it mere politics. They might move to the Supreme Court. We have well-represented farmers here and will do the same thing in th Supreme Court," he added further.

Speaking on the different stands of the Haryana and the Punjab governments, he said that the Punjab government is in farmers' favour, but Haryana and UT (Chandigarh) are against them, adding to which he stated, "Any order from the High Court does not stop the farmers from using tractors and heavy machinery during the protest."

Earlier in the day, Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge expressed strong support for the ongoing farmers' protest, declaring that the party stands firmly with them.

"We are supporting them (farmers). We are saying openly that their reasonable demands should be fulfilled. We are going to say this in our election manifesto also that a legal guarantee will be given. All crops cannot be covered but the essential crops should be done (providing MSP)," Mallikarjun Kharge said. (ANI)