The Haryana Police on February 23 revoked the imposition of the National Security Act (NSA), 1980 against some union leaders of the Ambala district after announcing it late on February 22 night, officials said.
Sibash Kabiraj, IGP Ambala Range said that the NSA will not be invoked against the farm leaders. “This is to clarify to all concerned that the matter of invoking provisions of the National Security Act on a few farm union leaders of district Ambala has been reconsidered and it has been decided that the same will not be invoked,” he said.
The Police also appealed to farmers to cooperate with the authorities in maintaining law and order.
“Haryana Police appeals to the protestors and their leaders to maintain peace and cooperate with the authorities in maintaining law and order,” Kabiraj added. Earlier, the Haryana government had invoked the National Security Act against farmer leaders with police officials seeking details of property loss in Ambala district.
In an official statement, Ambala Police wrote, “From February 13, 2024, continuous efforts are being made by the farmer organizations to break the barricade imposed on Shambhu Border by the farmers regarding their march to Delhi, and daily attempts are being made to spoil the law and order by pelting stones at the police administration and creating ruckus.”
“During this period, a lot of damage has been caused to the government and private property by encroachment, the police said, adding the administration had already that if the agitators caused damage to government and private property then this loss would be compensated by seizing their property and bank accounts.”
“If public property is damaged by the agitators during the movement, there is an amendment in the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act 1984 (PDPP Act) under the provisions of the Supreme Court in which, the people who caused damage to public property during the movement or called for the movement and the officials of that organization are held responsible for any damage caused,” the statement read.
According to the Haryana Public Administration’s Property Recovery Act 2021, in case of damage to government property, there is a provision to compensate for the loss of public property by attaching property and confiscating bank accounts of the person causing the loss.
“Proceedings to compensate for the loss of government property during the farmers’ protest, attachment of property and seizure of bank accounts of the protestors have been initiated,” the Police statement added.
The National Security Act (NSA) of 1980 is a law in India that allows the government to detain people to maintain public order and national security.
The act allows the central or state government to detain a person if there is reason to believe that they may be engaging in an act threatening national security. The NSA is a preventive detention law, which involves the detainment of a person to keep them from committing future crimes and/or from escaping future prosecution.
(with inputs from ANI)
