Haryana farmers demand FIR against Karnal SDM, cops, give a week’s ultimatum
The farmers said if their demands were not met by September 6, they would gherao Karnal’s mini secretariat indefinitely on September 7
Farmer union leaders from Haryana have demanded the registration of FIRs against Karnal’s sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Ayush Sinha and police officers involved in Saturday’s lathicharge on farmers.
The leaders have given the Haryana government one week’s time to accept their demands, which include compensation of ₹25 lakh and a government job for Sushil Kajal’s next of kin. The leaders said that Kajal, a farmer, died due to the lathicharge. They also demanded financial assistance of ₹2 lakh each for all injured farmers and free treatment for them at government hospitals.
The decision was taken at a Mahapanchayat called at the Gharuanda grain market of Karnal. The farmers said if their demands were not met by September 6, they would gherao Karnal’s mini secretariat indefinitely on September 7.
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Farmer leaders unanimously condemned Karnal SDM Ayush Sinha for ordering the police to hit farmers on the head if they crossed barricades to disrupt the state-level meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Hotel (BJP) at a hotel on August 28.
Protect Haryana farmers, Charuni to Morcha
Addressing farmers, Haryana Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) president Gurnam Singh Charuni also made an emotional appeal to Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) leaders to help and support Haryana farmers facing police action for their protest against the leaders of the ruling party.
“Hum lath kha kha kar dukhi ho gaye hai aur SKM ek kadam aage nahi bada rahi hai, hum morche se kahna chahte hai ki aap ek hi baar me faisla le le, warna hame mafi de hum apni ladai khud lad lenge [We are saddened after continuously being lathicharged, and SKM is not moving forward. We want to tell SKM to decide on a plan of action once and for all, or forgive us--we will fight our battle by ourselves],” Charuni said in a chocked voice.
Charuni said that farmers of Haryana are facing police action and FIRs have been registered against 40,000 farmers for holding protests.
“Now we are fed up with the famer-police clashes every day, we need a strong decision and we will raise this issue with the morcha leaders for their support for farmers of Haryana,” Charuni added. Charuni said that he will unite all the farmer union leaders of Haryana like Punjab’s leaders.
However, the farmers have made it clear that they will continue to protest against the ruling party leaders in the state until the agitation against the Central government continues.
