Farmers Movement Archive

Third round of talks between Karnal admin, farmers fails

After three rounds, talks between the Karnal district administration and farmer leaders, including Rakesh Tikait and Gurnam Singh Charuni, failed. The talks lasted two-and-a-half hours.The farmer leaders are now on their way back from the meeting that was held at the mini secretariat in Karnal. They will discuss the matter at the grain market, the venue of the mahapanchayat, where the decision on the course of action will be taken.The Karnal district administration had offered to hold talks with representatives of protesting farmers on Tuesday. An 11-member delegation, comprising Bharatiya Kisan Union Haryana unit chief Gurnam Singh Charuni Rakesh Tikait, Balbir Singh Rajewal, Darshan Pal attended the talks. Tikait, who is leading the protest to abolish the three controversial farm laws, is in Karnal for the mahapanchayat. Also Read | Ahead of kisan mahapanchayat, security beefed up, barricades in place in KarnalMeanwhile, farmers continue to arrive in large numbers from different parts of Haryana, besides neighbouring Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, to attend the mahapanchayat. The development comes in the backdrop of kisan mahapanchayat of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) at Karnal’s grain market being held Tuesday. The farmers had also decided to gherao the Karnal mini secretariat to protest the lathicharge against them on August 28. On Tuesday afternoon, the Karnal district administration and police quoted ground intelligence reports and said that some “elements” had reached the grain market armed with lathis, iron rods and other weapons. They added that “all such elements will be strictly dealt with in accordance with law”.“Ground intelligence reports indicate that some elements from Rambha, some from Nissing and some from other places have reached the Anaj Mandi armed with lathis, jellis, iron rods etc. It does not show a good intention on their part. Police and Administration have spoken to the Kisan leaders who have tried to persuade such elements to leave the venue, but they are not listening to their leaders. Karnal District Administration and Police is warning such mischievous elements not to take the law into their hands and maintain public order. All such elements will be strictly dealt with in accordance with law,” a notice issued by the administration said.Meanwhile, paramilitary jawans gathered in Karnal over the past 24 hours, and the administration deployed officials of different departments to monitor the barricading of Karnal grain market where the farmers are meeting. As per the officials monitoring the security arrangements, the administration had decided it will not allow the farmers to gherao the mini secretariat, which is around 5km away from the grain market. SKM leaders had said that they will break barricades on their way to the mini secretariat if the police try to stop them.However, movement of traffic on NH-44 remained normal in the morning. Police deployed at important locations in Karnal is not stopping the movement of farmers.Charuni also said that the police opened all the barricades in the morning and farmers were allowed to reach the grain market in Karnal.

Hindustan Times

07-09-2021

Chandigarh