The talks between the farmers’ unions and the Haryana Government remained inconclusive for the second consecutive day on Wednesday in Karnal with farmers announcing to continue their protest outside the mini-secretariat there.
The sit-in outside the Karnal mini-secretariat, following a mahapanchayat in the same city, had begun on Tuesday evening over the demands of registration of a case against IAS officer Ayush Sinha, compensation for a farmer who died and those who got injured during police lathicharge on farmers on August 28 in Karnal, the assembly constituency represented by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.
After their talks failed on Tuesday, the Karnal District Administration on Wednesday again invited Samyukt Kisan Morcha leaders in a bid to end the standoff. However, another round of talks which lasted for three hours failed to resolve the deadlock.
Bharatiya Kisan Union Rakesh Tikait told the mediapersons after the meeting that the talks completely failed because the State Government is adopting an adamant attitude. They are not ready to accept any of our demands, he said.
Tikait announced that farmers will continue their dharna outside the gates of Karnal mini-secretariat till their demands are accepted by the government. Farmers from Punjab and Uttar Pradesh will also join the protest in Karnal, he said.
The protest against three central farm laws will continue at Delhi borders while another protest will now continue in Karnal, he added.
SKM leader Yogendra Yadav said that the State Government is not even ready to suspend the IAS officer, leave alone register a case against him over this controversial statement on the day of lathicharge on farmers in Karnal.
Scores of farmers including SKM leaders, including Rakesh Tikait, Gurnam Singh Charuni, Yogender Yadav, Balbir Singh Rajewal among others had spent a night outside Karnal mini-secretariat on Tuesday over their demands.
Not only this, farmers have pitched tents outside the building, made arrangements for food and water to prepare for a long haul.
Despite deployment of heavy police force, imposition of prohibitory orders, suspension of mobile internet services, thousands of farmers had managed to reach outside the mini-secretariat on Tuesday evening and had laid siege to the building.
After Wednesday’s meeting, Karnal Deputy Commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav said that a meeting was held with the farmers’ delegation for three hours but talks failed as the farmers’ leaders remained adamant over their demands.
On farmers’ demand to register an FIR against IAS Ayush Sinha, Yadav said that we have assured them to hold an inquiry into the incident of lathicharge on farmers on August 28. After the findings of the inquiry, we will take action against those found guilty. Similarly, compensation for the farmers will also be decided after the inquiry. But the farmers’ leaders insisted on the suspension of the IAS officer, he said.
Yadav said they have announced to continue their protest outside the mini-secretariat building. We have told them to continue their protest peacefully and not engage in any kind of violence, he added.
Notably, Haryana Police had lathicharged a group of farmers at Karnal’s Bastara toll plaza on August 28 while they were heading to protest against a BJP meeting where Chief Minister Manohar Lal and senior BJP leaders were present. At least 15 farmers were injured during the incident.
The farmers’ unions have also claimed that a farmer died after the August 28 lathi charge, an allegation rejected by the Karnal Administration.
The farmers’ unions have demanded that a murder case should be registered against IAS officer Ayush Sinha, who was caught on tape allegedly telling policemen to “break heads” of protesting farmers. Sinha was later transferred by the State Government and has now been posted as the Additional Secretary in the Citizen Resources Information Department.
They have also demanded compensation of Rs 25 lakh and a job to the next of kin of a farmer who died And Rs two lakh compensation for those injured in lathi charge.
Meanwhile, the Congress has slammed the Haryana Government over the incident. Haryana Congress chief Kumari Selja and former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda have asked the State Government to accept the demands of the farmers to end the standoff.