Police excesses: Yogi govt officials offer public apology

After launching a crackdown against farmers, the Yogi Adityanath government in UP on Sunday offered apology on police excesses against agitating farmers in Baraut tehsil of Baghpat and assured not to lodge cases against farmers.

During the Sarv Khap Mahapanchayat at Baraut in Baghpat, ADM Baghpat Amit Kumar and ASP Manish Mishra publicly offered apology for forcibly evicting farmers, who were staging a dharna in Baraut. Farmers had alleged the police had attacked when they were sleeping in tents. They took away tents, food, utensils, cash, beddings on January 27/28 night. “We regret police action and forcible eviction of farmers from the dharna sthal in Baraut. We are also sons of farmers. You all are our elders. We ensure no cases will be lodged against any farmer. The police will also return things seized while evicting them,” announced the ADM at the Sarv Khap Mahapanchayat.

In a well-attended Khap Mahapanchayat, Chowdharys of all Khaps (head of different Jat Communities) unanimously decided to support agitating farmers till the government repealed the new farm laws. “We have decided to support agitating farmers.

The stir will continue till the government withdraws the laws. We have decided to march to all three borders (Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur) in large numbers to show solidarity with our brothers,” announced Brijpal Chowdhary, the Thamba Khap head.

“It is a fight not only for withdrawal of anti-farmer laws but also to safeguard our honour. We have also decided to boycott BJP leaders in our villages,” he said.

BKU chief Naresh Tikait, who rushed to Ghazipur border to support his brother Rakesh Tikait, stayed away from the Khap Mahapanchayat. Instead, his son Gaurav Tikait was there to represent him.