Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers’ indefinite protest in Karnal enters 3rd day

Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) farmers’ indefinite protest outside Karnal’s mini secretariat entered the third day on Thursday.Social activists have made more arrangements for the protesting farmers at the site. They have provided mattresses and fans for the protesters besides food and shelter. Nirmal Kutia Gurdwara, Jat Dharamshala and NGO Khalsa Aid are also proving support to the farmers.While paramilitary forces and police personnel continue to be deployed around the mini secretariat, farmer leaders have appealed to the farmers of Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh to reach Karnal in good numbers to ensure a huge gathering over the next two days.Since talks with the administration have failed, senior SKM leaders will hold a meeting in Karnal on September 11 to decide the next course of action. “There is a need to increase strength at the protest site for the next two days until the next decision is taken during the September 11 meeting of the leaders of Haryana farmer unions and SKM,” said Suresh Kauth, a farmer leader from Hisar.Also Read | Karnal stir to mirror Delhi agitation: Rakesh TikaitThe number of protesters came down on Wednesday night. But it swelled again in the morning as farmers, especially those from the nearby villages, came to join the protest. The farmers have vacated the parking areas of private business establishments located opposite the mini secretariat.“We do not want to cause any inconvenience to anybody as our protest is for justice to the victims of lathicharge”, said activist Yogendra Yadav.Farmer leaders have slammed the government’s decision to extend suspension of mobile internet for the next 24 hours in Karnal district. “The government is depriving people of their basic rights by banning internet services. The government should restore the internet services immediately,” said BKU (Charuni) spokesperson Rakesh Bains.The farm leaders blockading the mini secretariat have made it clear that they will build a protest site mirroring the agitation sites outside Delhi if the government doesn’t meet their demands regarding controversial police action against the farmers last month.The farmers have vowed to not lift the blockade till the government lodged a case of murder against SDM Ayush Sinha, who was caught on tape allegedly telling policemen to “break heads” if protesters crossed the line during a rally on August 28. They also want him suspended. Sinha has since been transferred and posted as additional secretary of Citizen Resources Information Department (CRID), as per a government order.The statement came after talks between Karnal district officials and farmers, who held a massive mahapanchayat on Tuesday afternoon and later marched into town to surround the mini secretariat, broke down for a second consecutive day. “We will start a morcha at Karnal which will be parallel to the ongoing protests at Delhi borders and our leaders will stay here for further discussion,” said farm leader Rakesh Tikait after the meeting, announcing that the talks had failed on Wednesday.

Hindustan Times

09-09-2021

Chandigarh