The Supreme Court on Monday ruled that the Police had violated fundamental human rights when two farmers were arrested and remanded in connection with a protest in Kalukele, along the Polonnaruwa–Mahiyangana road in 2018. 

The protest was staged to oppose the authorities’ failure to take action to prevent wild elephants from invading villages.

As per the ruling, S.M.L.R. Bandara, the then officer-in-charge of the Aralaganwila Police, was ordered to personally pay Rs. 30,000 each in compensation to the petitioners from his own funds.

The judgment was delivered by Justice Yasantha Kodagoda, with the concurrence of Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya and Justice S. Thurairaja.

The Court emphasized that magistrates should not remand individuals simply at police request, underscoring the need for judicial discretion in such cases, and adding that Magistrates must be clearly informed of the necessity behind such police requests.

Additionally, the Wildlife Director General was instructed to formulate a comprehensive plan to prevent wild elephant invasions. 

Copies of the judgment were ordered to be sent to the Attorney General, Inspector General of Police, Wildlife Director General, Director General of Wildlife Conservation, Officer-in-Charge of Aralaganwila Police, and the Director General of the Mahaweli Authority to take necessary action. (Newswire)

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Minister of Agriculture KD Lal Kantha says it is the responsibility of the government to improve the state of farmers, which is currently considered not on par with other skilled workers. 

Addressing a public gathering, the minister pointed out that at present, matrimony advertisements in newspapers seek engineers and doctors for women, but not farmers.

“I am 61 years old. I follow the matrimony advertisements. Every advertisement seeks a qualified or skilled worker. Not one mentions farmers as prospective grooms. This is the state of the farming community in Sri Lanka,” he said. 

Minister Lal Kantha said that it was the government’s responsibility to improve and strengthen the livelihood of the farming community to a state where a matrimony advertisement is published seeking a farmer as a groom. (Newswire)

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Pakistan Kissan Ittehad (PKI) has urged the federal government on Saturday to declare an agricultural emergency in the nation, ARY News reported.

In a statement, Kissan Ittehad Chairman Khalid Hussain Bath demanded the restoration of the previously announced Pakistani currency (PKR) 1.8 trillion package for farmers, initially proposed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

According to ARY News, Bath warned of potential protests post-Eidul Fitr if the government fails to address the grievances.

He stated that “the farmers will begin a protest after Eidul Fitr if the government fails to address the issues of the community. A sit-in will be staged in Islamabad if needed.”

Additionally, he lamented the hike in the price of fertilisers, saying that the farmers were buying urea for Rs 6,000 per bag, as per ARY News.

He expressed dismayed over the lack of a coherent government policy for the agricultural sector.

Additionally, Kissan Ittehad President Mian Umer criticized Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz stating, “he has not conducted a single meeting on the agriculture sector.”

He criticised the Punjab CM for purportedly neglecting the agricultural sector, he claimed that the “sugar mafia” has not paid farmers after buying sugarcane from them.

Umer also lamented the adverse impact of increased electricity prices on farmers, stating that they now pay Rs 54 per unit.

He said that the government was forcing the community to come out on the street and shut down the city. (ANI)

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