Farmers Movement Archive

CM’s Rohtak visit sparks protest & then clash between cops, farmers

CHANDIGARH: Farmers and police clashed during a protest against Haryana chief minister (CM) Manohar Lal Khattar’s visit to Rohtak on Saturday. To prevent the situation from deteriorating further, the CM’s chopper landed at an alternate location. There were injured persons on both sides, including an elderly farmer and a cop. Though the number of injured persons could be more, it could not confirmed by the time this report was filed. Police were also yet to register an FIR in connection with the violence. Before the clash, farmers — who have been protesting against leaders of the BJP-JJP coalition in the state over the Centre’s three farm laws — had gathered outside the campus of Baba Mastnath University here on coming to know that Khattar was coming to the town to attend a prayer meeting in the memory of the deceased father of Rohtak MP Arvind Sharma. His chopper was scheduled to land at the university. However, it later landed at police lines in Rohtak. Police had set up a three-layer security cordon around the university’s campus to thwart any law and order trouble, but farmers tried to break the barricades and a clash followed in which the farmers pelted stones at the cops and the police retaliated with a lathicharge. One of the police personnel was injured in the incident, said a police official. An elderly farmer was also injured in the melee, said protesting farmers. Earlier, Rohtak SP Rahul Kumar and ADGP Sandeep Khirwar, who is in charge of Haryana Police’s Rohtak range, attempted to pacify the protesters. SP Sharma claimed that police did not use any force. He accused some persons among the protesters of pelting stones and injuring cops and protesters both. “The helipad at police lines was closer to the venue of the event where the CM had to go. We handled the situation peacefully and without use of force. There were some fringe elements among farmers who pelted stones. We are examining the footage,” said Sharma. Congress leader and former MLA Krishan Moorti Hooda condemned the incident, describing it as an outcome of government and police action on farmers. “In fact, the government itself is provoking farmers. When BJP-JJP ministers, MLAs and leaders are avoiding all public programme, the CM too should have cancelled his programme. Use of force, especially lathicharge and teargas shells on farmers, will only anger protesters,” said Hooda. Protesting farmers were shouting slogans ‘Kisan Ekta Zindabad’. Farmers have been opposing leaders of the BJP and its alliance partner JJP in the wake of the Centre’s three farm laws. Farmers had on Thursday, held a protest against Haryana deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala outside Hisar airport. (With inputs from PTI )

The Times of India

2021-04-04

Chandigarh