AMN / Karnal
Hundreds of farmers stayed put outside the gates of the district headquarters here on Wednesday as they remained firm on their demand for action against IAS officer Ayush Sinha, who ordered a police lathi-charge on a group of peasants last month.
Locked in a showdown with the Haryana government over the lathi-charge, the farmers squatted at the gates of the mini-secretariat on Tuesday evening after talks with the local administration failed. Many spent the night outside the mini-secretariat.
However, the government has extended the suspension of mobile internet and SMS for the next 24 hours till 12am, September 9.
Controversial farmer activist from Punjab, Lakha Sidhana, also reached Karnal late night along with several followers. In his brief address, Sidhana slammed the BJP-led governments at the Centre and state for attempts to create rifts between farmers of Punjab and Haryana.
“They tried to divide us on several occasions but Punjab is always with its younger brother Haryana and we will stay in Karnal until we force this government to accept our demands,” he added.
“The political situation of Haryana is different from that of Punjab and I salute the farmers of Haryana who are fighting against the [CM Manohar Lal] Khattar government despite repeated lathicharge and FIRs,” he added.
A huge gathering of farmers is expected in Karnal on Wednesday as there are reports that farm union leaders have given a call to Haryana farmers to reach Karnal.
Karnal deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav said elaborate security arrangements are in place to deal with any law and order situation.
The movement of traffic on NH-44 remained normal even as a huge deployment of police and security forces continues in Karnal.
