Farmers Movement Archive

Farmer-administration talks inconclusive in Sirsa, talks on

Sirsa: Farm activists started an indefinite protest at the mini-secretariat in Sirsa after holding a mahapanchayat under the leadership of Sayunkta Kisan Morcha (SKM) leader Rakesh Tikait for the release of five farmers arrested in a sedition case, and withdrawal of a “secret FIR” registered against 100 farmers who stormed the BJP district executive body’s Sunday meeting here. A mahapanchayat was organised at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Stadium in Sirsa. In view of the crowd of farmers, the administration invited farmers for talks, but the talks were not successful. After this, farmers left Shaheed Bhagat Singh Stadium to gherao the SP office and sat on a dharna outside the mini secretariat on the way to the protest. In view of the farmers’ protest, the administration has deployed 25 duty magistrates, with whom 25 companies of police and paramilitary forces are deployed. Even before the mahapanchayat of farmers, the administration barricaded the mini secretariat, Bhumanshah Chowk and deployed a police force. On Saturday morning, when farmers were going to the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Stadium for the mahapanchayat, they were stopped, due to which there was a clash between farmers and police personnel. Later, a group of farmers uprooted the barricades and left for Shaheed Bhagat Singh Stadium. After this, police did not stop the farmers, but the police kept an eye on their activities with drone cameras. Later, farmer leaders addressed the farmers in the stadium. In view of the crowd of farmers, the administration invited farmer leaders for talks, then the farmer leaders Rakesh Tikait, Jagjit Dalewal, Kulwant Sandhu, Vikas Sisar, Abhimanyu Kuhar, Ravi Azad, Mandeep Nathwan, Prahlad Singh Bharukhera, Sudesh Goyat and Sirsa’s local farmer leaders, about 21 member farmer’s delegation went for talks. During the conversation, Inspector general of police (IGP) Rakesh Arya and superintendent of police Arpit Jainon showed the video footage of the July 11 incident to the farmers’ delegation and said that the arrested farmers were involved in the incident. Sudesh Goyat said that the administration could not show any such video in which farmers have stones in their hands. The people who pelted stones were government men and now the farmers are being arrested. This administration has become a slave of the government, so there is little hope of justice, she said. The talks here remained inconclusive and the farmer leaders came back to the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Stadium and then left to gherao the SP office. On the way, the farmers started a dharna on Barnala road. During this, farmer leader Rakesh Tikait said no matter how many days they have to stay here, he will take a breath only after getting farmers released. The dharna has been started here, so that if the administration calls for talks, the distance does not remain much, Tikait said. Three cops and as many farmers were injured on Sunday, after protesters pelted Haryana deputy speaker Ranbir Gangwa’s car with stones and smashed its rear windscreen. On July 11, the Civil Lines police station registered FIR 204 on the complaint of duty magistrate, district welfare officer Sushil Kumar, against Harcharan Singh and Prahlad Singh among those 100 protesters. The Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections that were applied include 124-A (sedition), 148 (armed riot), 307 (attempt to murder), 323 (injuring public servants), and 353 (criminal force to deter public servants). After this, Sirsa SP Bhupender Singh was transferred to IRB in Bhondsi and IPS officer Arpit Jain brought in as replacement. Civil Lines police station officer in charge Vikram Singh was suspended, and departmental inquiry recommended against DSP Sanjay Kumar, on the report of IGP Rakesh Arya. After this, police arrested farmers Balkar Singh, Nikka Singh, Balkaur Singh of Faggu, Sahab Singh of Khairpur, and Daljit Singh of Ranga on Thursday morning, a court remanded them in judicial custody on the same day. Govt run by company, not even BJP: Tikait SKM leader Rakesh Tikait said if there was a government of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or the Congress in the country, it would have negotiated with farmers, but now there was a government of a company because BJP’s big leaders were not even involved in party decisions. The agitation against the company’s government also goes on for a long time. Haryana government has taken responsibility for bringing the farmers’ movement of Delhi to Hisar and Sirsa and under this, farmers are being molested and cases are being registered under sedition, Tikait said. Road to deputy CM's house sealed On Saturday, deputy CM Dushyant Chautala was in Sirsa. However, in view of protests by Rural Safai Karamcharis Union, all roads leading to his house and that of power minister Ranjit Singh’s house were also sealed by police. However, it was claimed that despite sealed roads, the deputy CM listened to the grievances of people at his residence. Farmers give way to ambulance During the agitation on Saturday morning, when an ambulance was passing through Barnala road carrying a patient, police personnel did not give way by removing barricades. When farmers came to know about the matter, they reached there and started removing the barricades, then the police themselves removed the barricades and gave way to the ambulance. Fast unto death On Saturday evening, farmers announced that their dharna will continue near the mini secretariat in Sirsa. Baldev Singh will start a fast unto death from Saturday. Until five farmers are not released, they will not eat a morsel of food, farmers announced. Caption of photo number 17HIS01: Police barricade uprooted by farmers Caption of photo number 17HIS02: Crowd of farmers present at the protest site near Sirsa mini secretariat Caption of photo number 17HIS03: Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait addressing the Mahapanchayat at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Stadium in Sirsa Caption of photo number 17HIS04: Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait reached Sirsa --

The Times of India

2021-07-18

Chandigarh