Chandigarh: Amid the continuing stalemate between the Narendra Modi government and the agitating farmers at Delhi’s borders, the income tax (I-T) department and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have been taking action against farmer leaders and their supporters in Punjan.
After at least six arhtiyas or commission agents — who are supporting the farmers — were raided by teams of the I-T department in Punjab last week, farmers leaders have now alleged that the ED is planning to “target” singers and actors supporting their agitation.
Dr Darshan Pal, president of the Krantikari Kisan Union and working group member of the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee, told ThePrint that they had received information that singers who are supporting the movement through their songs, speeches and poetry were being targeted by the ED.
“First the income tax raids and now this,” he said. “This is highly condemnable and we warn the Government of India that if they are going to target our supporters like this, it will not be a step in the direction of a resolution but further discord.”
The ED is the agency mandated with the task of enforcing provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). It had Saturday, through its foreign exchange wing, sought details of monetary donations received in the personal bank account of farmer leader Sukhdev Singh Kokri Kalan, general secretary of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ugrahan), for possible FEMA violations.
Highly placed sources in the ED confirmed that some singers and actors, particularly the NRIs supporting the farmers’ protest, were under their scanner.
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Singer Ranjit Bawa under ED scanner
Ranjit Bawa, a popular Punjabi singer who has been supporting the agitation for several months, appears to be one of the ED targets.
Last month, Jalandhar-based BJP leader Ashok Sareen Hikki had lodged a complaint with the ED, alleging that Bawa had links with suspected narcotics dealer Gurdeep Singh Rano.
Rano was arrested by the Ludhiana unit of the Punjab Police’s special task force on 7 November along with three others for allegedly smuggling narcotics. Hikki has in his complaint attached a photograph of Bawa with Rano.
This happened almost a fortnight after Bawa released his first song on the agitation — Bitter Truth — on 27 October.
His next song, Punjab Bolda, again on the farmers’ agitation, was released on 8 December and became an instant hit, already garnering 13 million views on YouTube. Bawa Monday released the poster of Fateh aa, another protest song.
Sources in the ED said Bawa’s file was under “active consideration”. They added that there were also some farmer leaders and their supporters, apart from Bawa, who were under the scanner for possible FEMA violations.
“The transactions by singers or actors who are NRIs and have come in support of the agitation are under ED’s scanner,” said a source in the agency.
When ThePrint tried to reach Bawa for a comment, a member of his team said over the phone he would get back with a response from the singer. This report will be updated when a response is received.
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Arhtiyas raided, foreign funds probed
Over the past week, the ED and the I-T department have acted against farmers and their supporters.
BKU (Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokri Kalan told ThePrint that the manager at the Punjab and Sind Bank’s branch in his village of Kokri Kalan in Bathinda district received an email from the foreign exchange department of the ED asking for details regarding Rs 7 lakh of foreign money that had landed in his account.
“The letter said since the recipient was not a registered organisation, the amounts received should be returned to the senders. I was called by the manager and showed the letter on Saturday,” Kalan told ThePrint. He said he has been told to furnish passport details and addresses of those who sent the money.
On 6 December, BKU (Ugrahan) had issued a public appeal seeking financial contributions for the agitation. Foreign receipts in the form of donations can be received only by individuals and organisations registered under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act.
On 4 December, offices of at least six commission agents were raided by I-T officials. Farmers see the actions as an attempt to scare the arhtiyas from backing the agitation.
“The arhtiyas and farmers work in close collaboration. They (arhtiyas) are helping us with funds and grains for the agitation. The Government of India is trying to harass them by raiding their places. It is most condemnable,” Ruldu Singh Mansa, president of the Punjab Kisan Union, said at a press conference at the Singhu border Saturday.
Mansa announced that farmers in Punjab and at other places should gherao income tax officers and their offices as a mark of protest.
Vijay Kalra, president of the Arhtiyas Association Punjab who was among those raided, told ThePrint they were first issued notices by the I-T department on 14 December and given a week to respond. “But even before the period could end, our premises were raided by the income tax officials who came with at least 50 to 60 CRPF men,” he said.
Kalra said five other arhtiyas from Patiala and SBS Nagar had been raided until Saturday. As a mark of protest, he added, all mandis in Punjab will remain shut from Tuesday to Friday (22 December to 25 December).
The BJP, meanwhile, dismissed suggestions that there was a vendetta in the ED and I-T actions. “Whether one is involved in an agitation or not has nothing to do with the fact that everyone has to follow the law of the nation,” Punjab BJP spokesperson Vineet Joshi told ThePrint.
“Moreover, any action by the income tax department or the ED is not a knee jerk one. There is a process involved that takes several weeks.”
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farmers are supporting these middle men now. frankly, these farmers have lost any sympathy i might have had.