Tohana stand-off ends as two jailed agitators released
A THIRD PROTESTER IS YET TO BE RELEASED; KISAN MORCHA SAYS ADMN HAS ASSURED TO WITHDRAW FIRS
ROHTAK: The week-long standoff between farmers and authorities in Fatehabad’s Tohana ended on Monday after the administration agreed to release two jailed protesters and withdraw the FIRS against them.
Two activists, Ravi Azad and Vikas Sisar, who were booked by the police for gheraoing Jannayak Janata Party MLA Devinder Babli’ house, were released on bail on Sunday night. A third activist Makhan Singh, who was booked for attacking the MLA’S cavalcade, is yet to be released, activist Yogendra Yadav tweeted on Monday evening.
Following the release of Azad and Sisar, Samyukta Kisan Morcha leader Rakesh Tikait had called off the programme to gherao all police stations in the state. However, thousands of farmers from Jind, Hisar, Sirsa and Fatehabad called a panchayat to demand the release of the third protester, Makhan Singh, who was booked by the MLA’S staff for the June 1 face-off between the legislator and the farmers.
In a joint statement, Samyukta Kisan Morcha leaders said, “Two protesters have been released and the administration has assured to withdraw the FIRS against them. The MLA’S staff members, who are complainants in two cases, have given a written request to the police to withdraw the cases.”
After calling off the protest at Tohana, BKU leader Tikait asked farmers to start marching towards Delhi borders to press for the scrapping of the three farm laws. “The battle will be fought at Delhi’s borders and dharnas at all toll plazas will continue,” he added.
‘Only party programmes, political events to be disrupted’
Speaking with reporters, Punjab farmer leader Joginder Singh Ugrahan said the Samyukta Kisan Morcha has decided that they will protest against Bharatiya Janata Party-jannayak Janta Party leaders only at government and political events. Black flags will be waved without inciting any violence. “If any leader appears in any social programme such as marriage or cremation, the farmers will not protest there,” he added.