Kisan Mahapanchayat Begins In Karnal Amid Heavy Police Deployment, Talks With Officials 'Fail'
Farmers have alleged that Centre and state have done nothing, but allowed the Police to lathicharge farmers who have been protesting peacefully.
Karnal: Scores of farmers from different parts of Haryana have gathered at the new grain mandi to attend the Kisan Mahapanchayat in Karnal despite heavy deployment of Police and paramilitary forces in the district. Hundreds of farmers rushed to the district with many coming on bikes, tractors and other modes of transport.
They said that no matter the heavy security deployed to stop them, they will reach Karnal at any cost.
Meanwhile, an 11-member delegation of farmer leaders was later invited to hold talks with the district administration.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Bharatiya Kisan Union (Chaduni) chief Gurnam Singh Chaduni informed that the talks between farmers and Karnal district administration have failed and union leaders will decide the next strategy in anaj mandi.
Senior farmer leaders including Tikait, leaders of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), Balbir Singh Rajewal, Darshan Pal, Yogendra Yadav and Gurnam Singh Chaduni were part of the talks with the administration and have said that they will raise various demands during the interaction.
According to reports, farmers have planned to gherao the mini secretariat of Haryana in order to raise their protest against the August 28 lathicharge incident which caused serious injuries to several agitating farmers.
Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikai, however, said that the decision on gherao of mini secretariat will be taken in the meeting. Tikait has reached the mandi on Tuesday afternoon.
"Gathering of farmers will decide on the gherao of the secretariat. As of now, for us, this grain mandi is the secretariat. We will take further decision on this issue in the mahapanchayat," Tikait told IANS.
Farmers have alleged that Centre and state have done nothing, but allowed the Police to lathicharge farmers who have been protesting peacefully.
"We are talking to a delegation of farmers, Karnal Deputy Commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav told news agency PTI over the phone.
Security Beefed Up In Karnal
Karnal has turned into a fortress as there is heavy deployment of Haryana Police and central forces in Karnal. Reports suggest that adequate security forces have been deployed at the new Anaj Mandi here where farmers are holding the mahapanchayat and plan to move towards the mini-secretariat.
Forty companies of security personnel, including 10 companies of central armed police forces, have been deployed in Karnal district where local authorities have also imposed prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC.
Farmers have been advised to assemble at the Anaj Mandi in a peaceful manner and next course of action will be decided at the mahapanchayat.
Mobile Internet Suspended In Karnal, Adjoining Districts
Central forces were deployed, mobile internet services were suspended and prohibitory orders banning gathering of people were imposed in Karnal on Monday.
Apart from Karnal, Haryana government has suspended mobile internet services in four adjoining districts - Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind and Panipat districts with effect from 12 am to 11:59 pm.
The Haryana Police had lathicharged a group of farmers disrupting traffic movement on a national highway near here on August 28 while heading towards Karnal to protest against a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) meeting.
Farmers' Demand
The kisan mahapanchayat at Karnal has two major two demands including suspension of the IAS officer who ordered the lathicharge on farmers and compensation for the families of the farmers who have lost lives.
Farmer Unions have also demanded a compensation of Rs 25 lakh and a government job to the next of kin of Sushil Kajal, a farmer from Gharunda who received head injuries in the lathicharge and died later due to a heart attack.
(With inputs from agencies)
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