FARMERS PROTEST
The farm leader, who is one of the people spearheading the Samyukt Kisan Morcha’s (SKM) protest against the three laws, was referring to an official caught on video telling policemen to “break the heads” of any protester who crossed police barricades.
Leaders linked to the SKM – the umbrella body under which at least three dozen farmer groups have united to protest the farm laws – including Tikait, Darshan Pal, Balbir Singh Rajjewal and Yogendra Yadav, attended a mahapanchayat in Nuh, where Saturday’s incident was discussed. The mahapanchayat was scheduled before the police action.
Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, meanwhile, defended the police action, saying the farmers promised a peaceful protest but hurled stones and blocked highways.
“If they had to protest, they should have done it peacefully, no one would have any objection to that. They had earlier assured that they will hold peaceful protests. But if they hurl stones at police, block highways, the police have to take steps to maintain law and order,” said Khattar.
The state’s deputy CM Dushyant Chautala, too, condemned the violence in Karnal but promised action against the sub-divisional magistrate who appeared to tell the police to “break farmers’ heads”.
In Punjab, farmers blocked highways for two hours on Sunday in protest against the police lathi charge in Haryana. Protests were also reported in parts of Haryana.
A day after the police action in Karnal, a farm union leader accused the police of causing death to a farmer, allegedly injured in the lathi charge, but Karnal inspector general of police Mamta Singh refuted the allegation, saying the person died at home. Owing allegiance to various farmer bodies, the protesters in Punjab burnt effigies of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Haryana government for using “force” on farmers in Karnal.
Around 10 people were said to have been injured on Saturday as police lathi-charged a group of farmers holding up traffic movement on a national highway while heading towards Karnal to protest against a BJP meeting.
Among the opposition leaders, Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh and state Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu condemned the police action in Karnal, saying it was an attack on the fundamental rights of every Indian.
“Deplorable assault on the protesting farmers is an attack on Fundamental Rights of every Indian … earned after innumerable sacrifices during the freedom struggle. It impinges and impedes on the spirit of the Constitution and Breaks the Backbone of India’s democracy !!,” Sidhu tweeted. Haryana BKU (Chaduni) chief Gurnam Singh Chaduni, meanwhile, said a farmer, Sushil, died of heart attack after suffering injuries in the lathi charge in Karnal. The Karnal IGP, however, refuted Chaduni’s allegations, saying the deceased farmer was not among those injured on Saturday. Chaduni said a meeting of farmer leaders will be held in Karnal on Monday to discuss the future course of action in reply to the police lathi charge. Tikait, too, met some of the injured protesters at a Karnal hospital on Monday.