Farmers Movement Archive

Karnal farmers to end protest after administration agrees to their demands

The farmers, who have been protesting in Haryana's Karnal for the last five day, agreed to end their stir on Saturday. An announcement regarding this was made during a joint press conference by farmers leaders and Karnal administration after a meeting where administration accepted most of the demands of the protesters.“After discussions, we have collectively decided to call off the protest here (outside mini-secretariat),” said Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) and farmer leader Gurnam Singh Charuni.The farmers had launched the protest on September 7 against the police action last month in which 10 farmers were injured.At the press conference, which was held after fourth round of meeting between both the sides, Haryana additional chief secretary Devender Singh promised a judicial enquiry by a retired judge of the high court into the August 28 violence when several protesters were lathicharged while heading towards Karnal to protest against a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) meeting. Singh said the probe report will be submitted within a month.The officer also announced government job (against a vacant post) to the next kin of the farmer Shushil Kajal, who the farmers claimed died due to police action. "Farmers are our brothers," said Singh.Karnal SDM Ayush Sinha, who was allegedly heard in a video giving instruction to policemen to "break heads" of the farmers if they breached the security cordon, will remain on leave during the investigation, Singh added. The farmers demanded FIR against the IAS officer and the cops on duty, but today agreed for a judicial probe."We have now taken a legal opinion and found that judicial enquiry is better option than the FIR. And the FIR will be registered later if he was found guilty in the investigation," said Charuni, who also addressed the joint press conference.Though Singh or any other official did not announce any compensation for those injured in August 28 violence, farmer leaders claimed that government has agreed to it.The farmers launched their indefinite protest at the main entrance of Karnal's mini-secretariat. It was led by Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), a platform of farm unions spearheading the protests against the agricultural laws since November last year.

Hindustan Times

11-09-2021

India