Farmers give govt 2-day ultimatum, or will take call on ‘do or die battle’

In Karnal, the farmer leaders will take a call for a do or die battle on September 11.

AMID THE ongoing gherao of Karnal’s mini-Secretariat demanding action against former SDM Ayush Sinha for the recent lathicharge on farmers, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) will take a call on the next course of action at the dharna site on September 11.

Giving an ultimatum of two days to the government to accept farmers’ demands, Karnal district BKU president Jagdeep Singh Aulakh said: “The SKM leaders will be in Lucknow to attend an important meeting on September 9 and 10. In Karnal, the farmer leaders will take a call for a do or die battle on September 11. When we don’t get justice by opting for peaceful manners, we have to take stern decisions. (The next action) will be for entire Haryana and Punjab.”

Meanwhile, the Karnal district administration has stated that it is “trying to resolve the matter by holding constant talks with the farmers” sitting in front of the mini-Secretariat gate. DC Nishant Kumar Yadav on Thursday again appealed to the farmers to cooperate in finding a solution through dialogue. In the matter of action against the then SDM of Karnal, Ayush Sinha, the DC said: “the matter is being investigated by the orders of the chief secretary, appropriate action will be taken after receiving the report”.

Yadav said: “If the farmers want to participate in the investigation process, they will be welcome, or if the farmers want to get the matter investigated at some other level, that demand can also be accepted. The mini-Secretariat of any district is the main administrative centre of the district where the common man has to come for important works. In such a situation, people are facing a lot of trouble due to the dharna.”

He said that the Karnal district administration had been trying to resolve the matter through dialogue with the protesting farmers from the very beginning. “Showing patience and restraint, the avenues of dialogue with the farmers have been kept open by the administration. The district administration is continuously appealing to the farmers to end the dharna. Law and order in the district is absolutely fine. The work is going on smoothly in all the offices,” Yadav added.

Meanwhile, while referring to a statement of the Karnal DC, senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala Thursday hit out at the BJP-JJP state government, stating that the “truth of the Karnal lathicharge has come out”.

Tweeting a video clipping of Karnal DC Nishant Kumar Yadav, Surjewala remarked: “Action is not being taken against the officer (Sinha) because the chief minister had given order to SDM to break the heads of farmers.” While interacting with the journalists Tuesday, Yadav had stated: “The way the lathicharge took place…that takes place on the basis of government orders.”

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