On Karnal SDM Ayush Sinha's video, Dushyant Chautala says use of such language by IAS officer 'condemnable' - Hindustan Times
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On Karnal SDM Ayush Sinha's video, Dushyant Chautala says use of such language by IAS officer 'condemnable'

By, New Delhi
Aug 29, 2021 03:27 PM IST

In a now-viral video clip, Sinha is seen asking policemen to 'break the head' of protesters who had gathered to protest against Haryana CM ML Khattar and state BJP leaders in Karnal.

Haryana deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala on Sunday broke his silence over Saturday’s police lathicharge on protesting farmers in Karnal, as he condemned sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Ayush Sinha’s instructions to the police to “break the head of the protestors.” Action will be taken against Sinha, Chautala said.

Police cane-charge farmers at Karnal's Bastara toll plaza during a protest against the new agri laws on Saturday. (Manoj Dhaka/HT)
Police cane-charge farmers at Karnal's Bastara toll plaza during a protest against the new agri laws on Saturday. (Manoj Dhaka/HT)

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“The use of such kind of words by an IAS officer for farmers is condemnable. Definitely, action will be taken against him. In a clarification, the SDM said he didn’t sleep for the last two days. He probably doesn’t know that the farmers also don’t sleep 200 days a year,” the deputy chief minister said.


Chautala was talking about a now-viral video clip, in which Sinha can be seen briefing the policemen on how to stop protestors from marching towards a venue where a meeting of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was scheduled to be held. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and state BJP president OP Dhankar were to attend the meeting.

“No matter what happens, nobody will cross this barricade,” the IAS officer is heard instructing the policemen, referring to farmers. “Let me make it clear, break the heads of all those who try to cross. I am the duty magistrate, and I’m giving you these instructions in writing. Hit them with your cane straightaway. Any doubt? Will you hit them? Will you let them cross this barricade? There is no doubt, no confusion. We won’t let them breach this barricade. We have enough force backing us up,” he says.

Indian Express, “There were three check points between the protest site and the meeting venue. I was at the third and final checkpost. It means that if someone were to reach there, he would have already breached the first two barricades. The third post was very close to the meeting venue. There was a possibility of vandalisation in the event of the third barricade, too, being breached. Keeping all these things in mind, I was briefing the forces at my location."

After the lathicharge, angry farmers had blocked roads and highways across Haryana demanding the release of fellow protestors arrested by the police. The blockade was lifted only at 7:30pm, after all those arrested were released.

Also Read | Angry over lathicharge on protesters in Karnal, farmers block highways in Haryana for nearly 5 hours, commuters suffer

Farmers, mainly from Punjab and Haryana, have been protesting against three contentious central agricultural laws on various borders of Delhi since November 2020. Total 11 rounds of talks have failed to resolve the standoff between the farmers and the Union government. The BJP is in power at the Centre, and its leaders have faced protests by farmers in both the states.

On January 26, a tractor rally in the national capital led to clashes between the farmers and Delhi Police.

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