Haryana: Farmers to continue protest as state government refuses to take action on baton-charge

Farmers agitating outside the mini-secretariat in Haryana’s Karnal district on Wednesday said that they were going to continue with their sit-in protest after talks with state government officials failed, ANI reported.

Hundreds of farmers have been sitting on a dharna outside the government office since Tuesday evening.

The protestors are demanding action against the baton-charge by the police on August 28 on farmers heading to Karnal to stage a demonstration at a meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party against the Centre’s contentious agriculture laws.

At least 10 protestors were injured in the baton-charge.

Former Karnal sub-divisional magistrate Ayush Sinha was caught on camera last month instructing police officers to “smash the heads” of farmers if they tried to breach a certain police barricade.

On Wednesday afternoon, farmer leaders held a meeting with officials of the Karnal district administration about their demands.

However, after the three-hour long talks, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait said that the meeting remained inconclusive.

Farmers put up tent outside Mini Secretariat, Karnal. pic.twitter.com/0G8d4EA42j

— Sandeep Singh (@PunYaab) September 8, 2021

“Officers are not ready to suspend him [sub-divisional magistrate Sinha] and lodge a case against him,” Tikait told reporters. “The officers are getting directions from [Haryana capital] Chandigarh. So we have decided to continue our protest here.”

Sinha was transferred out of Karnal on September 1 as part of a…

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