Khattar calls off meet after protesters vandalise venue
Says farmer union leaders failed to keep their promise to the administration to hold a symbolic protest
KAIMLA ( KARNAL): Farmers protesting against three central farm laws ransacked the venue of Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s Kisan Mahapanchayat, in Karnal’s Kaimla village on Sunday, forcing the CM to cancel his programme. The protesters also clashed with the police personnel, participants of the event and villagers.
Khattar’s Kisan Mahapanchayat was aimed to drum up support for the three contentious agriculture laws.
Ahead of the programme, the police blocked all the roads leading to the village but protesters managed to reach the venue and broke chairs, tore banners and damaged the helipad where the CM'S helicopter was supposed to land. The police used water cannons and lobbed teargas shells to prevent farmers from marching towards the village. According to eyewitnesses, a clash first broke out between the farmers and police personnel when they were marching towards the helipad.
The CM returned to Chandigarh without addressing the gathering. Karnal superintendent of police, Ganga Ram Punia said “Three farmers have been arrested under preventive measures and they will be produced in the court on Monday.” He said, so far, 71 farmers have been booked under various sections of IPC for rioting and assault on public servants.
CHANDIGARH: Describing ransacking of his kisan mahapanchayat venue in Karnal on Sunday as an act of “betrayal”, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar said the mob stormed the helipad and disrupted the function despite farm union leaders’ assuring the administration that they will stay away from the venue.
“Vishwasghat kiya gaya unke dwara (This is an act of betrayal ( by farm union leaders). The leaders of the agitating farmer unions had assured the administration on Saturday that they will hold symbolic protest, promising not to disrupt the mahapanchayat. This was the understanding, but they did not keep the promise,” Khattar said in a news conference at Chandigarh after returning from Karnal.
The chief minister repeatedly and pointedly held Haryana’s
BKU leader Gurnam Singh Charuni responsible for vandalising the venue of mahapanchayat by “provoking and misleading people” through a highly provocative video.
Khattar was slated to attend the kisan mahapanchayat as chief guest at Kaimla village in Karnal district. He was slated to inaugurate and lay foundation stones of various developmental works and interact with the people about the contentious three agricultural laws.
Stating that the “Congress and the communists” were behind the current agitation of the farmers and that the self- styled farmer leader Charuni had been behind misguiding the youth who disrupted Sunday’s mahapanchayat, Khattar said people will not tolerate what happened in Kaimla village of Karnal district.
Khatttar said: “The Congress and the communists have a big role behind this agitation and what happened in Karnal on Sunday. I am confident that people will form an opinion and act accordingly after watching Sunday’s episode.”
He said the manner in which some protesters behaved sent a loud and clear message to the public about how some forces were trying to create a law-andorder situation. According to Khattar farmers were not behind Sunday’s episode in Karnal. He said some self- styled farmer leaders with vested interest, such as Charuni, were at the root of misguiding protesters, especially the youth.
“I think people will not tolerate such a behaviour as this is against the very spirit of democracy...i am confident now people will form a clear opinion about what is this going on...people will not take it lightly...,” Khattar said, pointing out that people will give a befitting reply to “Congress and communists”.
Reiterating that the farmers were being “misled” by the so- called farmer leaders, the CM said the state government will not tolerate hooliganism.
“Causing disruption in the functions of others cannot be a part of any agitation. Now, the farmers are seeing through the designs of those who are provoking them and those selfstyled farmer leaders who are responsible for the deadlock over the agri laws,” Khatttar said, reiterating that the Centre will not repeal the three farm laws.
Disruption of event has sent out a loud message to people...in fact, the message is bigger than what I intended to give.