Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Sept 8: From Delhi to Karnal in Haryana. The agitating farmers seem to be preparing for yet another long haul with tents coming up near the mini-secretariat as sit-in protest by the farmers demanding action against the guilty officers who had lathi-charged on peaceful farmers at a rally in the town on August 28, continued for the second day on Wednesday.
The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said some explanation had been offered and talks were being held over their future course of action. He considered the Haryana Chief Minister M L Khattar delaying tactics for talks as a device to shift the agitation from the Delhi border to Karnal. “We have surrounded Delhi from five sides. A large number of people there are from Haryana. We must understand the CM’s ploy and continue with our mobilisation on Delhi borders,” he said.
Hundreds of farmers along with their leaders spent the night at the main entrance of the Karnal mini secretariat in Haryana on Tuesday as they made it clear they would not retreat until their demand of action against former Karnal SDM Ayush Sinha is accepted.
Earlier in the day, the farmers held a march as part of the planned ‘kisan mahapanchayat’ and gheraoed the mini secretariat after the district administration refused to compensate injured protesters and take action against officials over baton charging the protesters on August 28. Over 40 farmers were injured in the clashes last month while one farmer died, who, the police claimed, had collapsed due to cardiac arrest and not in lathi charge.
“The administration has tried to give an explanation of SDM’s earlier action. We will hold a meeting with farmers to make a decision on our further actions,” Tikait said.
The farmers demanding repeal of three contentious farm laws had been holding forte on the borders of Delhi since November, last year, pitching tents equipped with air-conditioners, washing machines and other comforts of the modern days. Similar arrangements were seen to have started to being made outside the Karnal min-secretariat as a large number of protesters, including women, from different districts continued their sit-in.
So far, there has been no restriction on the movement of people and employees of the secretariat. The government has extended the suspension of mobile internet and SMS for the next 24 hours till 12am, September 9.
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.
Commenting on the administration’s move to arrest the farmer leaders last evening, Tikait said the administration could have declared the ‘anaj mandi’ a jail. He cited the example of Mumbai where the Azad maidan, was converted into a jail for over 50,000 protesters. “Had the Karnal administration done that, we could have brought our animals here. It would still have been a big win for us.”
Last evening, the protesters had deflated the tyres of the police bus that farmer leaders had boarded for courting arrest. The union leaders have said the gherao of the mini-secretariat would continue till their demands are met.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Karnal administration once again invited the farmer leaders for talks. Union minister Bhanu Pratap Verma said protesting farmers should point out the shortcomings in the new farm laws so that the government can rectify them. He claimed that the farmers were tutored into the agitation by Opposition parties.
Thousands of farmers are camping outside the mini-secretariat, where offices of all senior officers, including the DC and the SP, are situated. The CM residence is barely 3 km from the secretariat. As many as 40 companies of the security forces, including CAPF and BSF, have been deployed in the town, especially around the secretariat.
Tikait said the farmers have no grouse against the police. “Last night, the cops also slept here with us. Our enemy is not present here. And we must be careful of his machinations. Tikait stressed that the farmer agitation is peaceful. “Haryana farmers are krantikari. They are the strength of our agitation,” he said as the gathering was served piping hot food prepared at a local shrine. The farmers did not allow anyone to enter the mini civil secretariat from the main gate. Some officers and staff, however, made their way inside through the rear gate.”
