Thousands of farmers march towards Karnal secretariat, threaten siege

Karnal (Haryana): Thousands of farmers started marching towards the district headquarters here on Tuesday evening after union leaders said their talks with the local administration had failed. Farmer unions had demanded action against officials over the lathi-charge against protesters on August 28 in Karnal.

Otherwise, they had threatened farmers will lay siege on the Karnal mini-secretariat – a threat they appeared to be carrying out. Farmers reached the New Anaj Mandi for a mahapanchayat in the morning, riding tractors and motorcycles. As they gathered there, an 11-member delegation was invited by the local administration to discuss their demands and dissuade them from marching towards the secretariat.

"Our talks with administration failed as they did not agree to our demands," senior farm leader Joginder Singh Ugrahan said about three hours later. Farmer union leaders then urged the large gathering at the mahapanchayat to march peacefully towards the mini-secretariat, five kilometres away. The leaders told the farmers not to enter into any confrontation with policemen, and squat in protest wherever they are stopped. Thousands of protesters walked towards the secretariat carrying farmer union flags. Several barricades have been put up on the route.

Earlier, BKU leader Rakesh Tikait told reporters that they had demanded the suspension of the IAS officer who was caught on tape allegedly telling policemen to "break heads" of protesting farmers. Rakesh Tikait, Balbir Singh Rajewal, Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Darshan Pal and Yogendra Yadav were among the senior Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) leaders who had reached Karnal for the rally, being held days after a huge mahapanchayat in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar.

Farmers from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have been protesting for months over the three farm laws enacted at the Centre, claiming that the legislation will lead to the erosion of the minimum support price (MSP) system. Deputy Commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav, Karnal's Inspector General of Police Mamta Singh and Superintendent of Police Ganga Ram Punia, were among the officials who took part in the talks with farm leaders. Addressing the mahapanchayat earlier, Yogendra Yadav said, "We have come to ask the government which Constitution, which law gives an IAS officer permission to give orders to break the farmers' heads."