The Haryana government suspends Internet in 5 districts, section 144 imposed in Karnal on Monday, a day after, a gherao planned by farmers at the mini-secretariat. The district administration has issued prohibitory orders under section 144, banning the assembly of five or more people.
The government has suspended mobile internet services in Karnal district from Monday midnight to 11:59 PM on September 7 to maintain law and order. The mahapanchayat was summoned to protest against the August 28 lathi charge on farmers.
Lathi-Charge on Protesting Farmers
The Haryana Police had lathi-charged a group of farmers disrupting traffic movement on a national highway near here on August 28. They were heading towards Karnal to protest against a BJP meeting. Over 10 protesters were injured. The SKM had said a murder case should be registered against IAS officer Ayush Sinha who was caught on tape apparently telling policemen to “break heads” of protesting farmers. Sinha, who was later has now been posted as the additional secretary in the Citizen Resources Information Department.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmer outfits protesting against the farm laws, had already warned, that they would proceed to the gherao Karnal mini-secretariat on September 7 if its demands were not met. On the other hand section, 144 is deployed in Karnal for a 24 hour period to maintain peace and order.
“Farmers will be gathering in Karnal’s New Anaj Mandi on Tuesday morning,” said chief Gurnam Singh Chaduni before the gherao, mentioning they will hold a peaceful protest.
Section 144 in Karnal, Farmer’s Gherao
A total of 40 companies of police were deployed to maintain law and order in the district, Meanwhile, Kisan Mahapanachayat was being held in Haryana’s Karnal. Farmers are protesting against the Centre’s three agricultural laws Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020; since November 26 last year.
The lathi-charge on protesting farmers on August 28 has further infuriated them as their demands are not being listened to.Earlier Karnal’s Superintendent of Police (SP) Ganga Ram Punia, while speaking to ANI assured that the police would take strict action if law and order are disturbed by the protesting farmers.
“District administration and police have made necessary security arrangements in wake of the Kisan Mahapanchayat. A total of 40 companies have been deployed to maintain law and order. Public activities are going on without interruption,” Punia said. “We want Kisan Mahapanchayat to be conducted peacefully and conflict to be resolved through mutual conversation. We spoke with farmer leaders yesterday on the matter. Police will take action if law and order are disturbed,” he added.
The State government had suspended mobile internet services and SMS services in Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, and Panipat to curb the “spread of inflammatory material and rumours”
Section 144 has also been implemented in the Karnal district of Haryana. Under Section 144 public assemblies are banned, district officials said. Traffic on National Highway 44, which connects Delhi to Chandigarh has been diverted from Karnal.
Demands of protesting farmers:
- The protesting farmers have been demanding action against the IAS officer who ordered police action on August 28, and those policemen who were involved in the lathi charge on the protesting farmers.
- They also wanted compensation of Rs 25 lakh and a government job to the next of kin of Sushil Kajla. His head was injured during the lathi-charge and he died later owing to a heart attack.
- The farmers demanded a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the injured persons.
Talks between the Karnal district administration and protesting farmers failed on Tuesday as the State Government rejected their demand that former Karnal SDM Ayush Sinha should be arrested. But the farmers have decided not to back down and stop the protest.
SKM declared that “Farmers stand determined and resolute, and the government cannot get away with the murder. We stand firmly behind the protest and condemn the actions of the Haryana government. Farmers will teach Chief Minister Manoharlal Khattar a lesson”.
