Mobile net suspended, Sec 144 imposed ahead of farmers’ stir
THE ADMIN ALSO ISSUED A TRAFFIC ADVISORY WITH PLANNED ROUTE DIVERSIONS
CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government on Monday ordered suspension of mobile internet and SMS services in Karnal district till Tuesday midnight while police tightened security arrangements and imposed section 144 in the district, a day ahead of a massive gherao planned by farmers at the mini secretariat over the August 28 lathicharge, officials familiar with the developments said.
“As a precautionary measure, we have written to the government to suspend the internet service in the district for 24 hours as to maintain law and order situation and Section 144 has been imposed till further orders,” said the Karnal district magistrate, Nishant Yadav.
The precautionary measures came as the Haryana Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) announced no changes in the plan after talks with Karnal deputy commissioner Nishant Yadav, seeking action against those involved in the lathicharge and relief for the injured, failed earlier in the day. Over 40 farmers were injured in the clashes last month.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, a platform of farm unions spearheading the protests against the farm laws since November, had threatened to lay siege to the secretariat if its demands for action were not met by September 6.
“The deputy commissioner could not give any satisfactory response on the demands raised by the morcha leaders and we will go ahead with our panchayat and gherao of the mini secretariat,” Haryana BKU chief Gurnam Singh Charuni said.
According to the people cited above, at least 40 companies of additional forces, five superintendent rank officials and 25 deputy superintendent rank officials along with thousands of policemen will be deployed to oversee the law and order situation in the district.
The administration also issued a traffic advisory with planned route diversions. The traffic on NH-44, which connects Delhi to Chandigarh, will also be diverted, the people added. “We are prepared to deal with any situation and nobody will be allowed to gherao the mini secretariat,” Yadav said, adding that the administration is not ready to meet any of the “illegal” demands of the farmers.
Karnal SP, Ganga Ram Punia said 10 companies of central forces have also been summoned to manage the situation. A local court also passed an order and directions have been issued to eight farmers’ leaders, asking them not to block any highway.