Angry farmers have blocked multiple roads across Haryana to protest “brutal” action against fellow farmers in neighbouring Karnal district, as they were protesting a gathering led by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to debate a forthcoming municipal election.
The protests affected traffic on major roads and highways, including NH3 and also the Delhi-Amritsar highway, and led to a jam at the Shambhu piece of land resulting in Ambala.
Visuals show farmers sitting on khatiyas, or a bamboo bed, and standing, or sitting, in large groups across the road, with cars, buses and trucks protected for a minimum of three kilometres.
Other visuals show two policemen in riot gear arguing with a person who seems to be badly wounded; there’s blood on his shirt and his left leg, and a bloody bandage is tied around his head.
A third video shows an outsized contingent of riot police gathered on the highway.
Traffic jam on highways pic.twitter.com/adLlz6Sblo
— Mohammad Ghazali (@ghazalimohammad) August 28, 2021
The farmers are protesting a lathi charge on farmers in Karnal; the farmers there have been charged down by the police after they tried to prevent state BJP chief OP Dhankar’s convoy.
Mr Dhankar was visiting the state-level meet of BJP leaders and elected reps in Karnal. As his convoy exited the Bastara tract (between Karnal and Panipat), farmers allegedly hit the cars with sticks. Reports say the farmers tried to achieve that meeting, which was being held about 30 kilometres away.
The police responded with a lathi charge that left several farmers injured; videos circulating on social media showed many of us with bloody shirts and bandages.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha – the umbrella body under which many farmer groups have united to protest the farm laws – slammed the police for his or her “brutal” actions.
Dr Darshan Pal of SKM says road blockade to continue across Haryana till 5 pm pic.twitter.com/F2o8tOTTJ0
— Mohammad Ghazali (@ghazalimohammad) August 28, 2021
The opposition Congress has slammed the ruling BJP government in Haryana, accusing Chief Minister Khattar and his administration of orchestrating violence against the farmers.
“What happened to our farmers in Karnal could be a matter of great concern… the Congress party condemns this attack within the strongest possible language. What you saw today was evidence of the BJP’s disregard for farmers and their safety…” Kumari Selja, chief of the party’s state unit, said.
Ms Selja said a video that has been shared widely, during which Ayush Sinha, the District Magistrate of Karnal, are often heard telling police to “break their (the farmers) head”.
Another gem from SDM Karnal Mr Ayush Sinha pic.twitter.com/1hhujhD5Cl
— Mohammad Ghazali (@ghazalimohammad) August 28, 2021
“The Congress has always, and can always, support our farmers, who were never mistreated after we were in power. Now the District Magistrate is telling police to ‘break their heads’… is that this democracy? The way the BJP and Khattar government have treated people… Haryana won’t tolerate,” she said.
Protests on major roads and highways – including the protest by thousands of farmers camped out round the Delhi border for nine months now – are criticised for affecting vehicle traffic.
On Monday the Supreme Court, responding to a PIL by a resident in Uttar Pradesh’s Noida, pulled up the Haryana government (as well as its UP counterpart and also the centre) over roads within the metropolis region that still be blocked.
“You (the centre and therefore the UP and Haryana governments ) need to find a solution”, the court said, while also warning the three to respect farmers’ right to protest.
In June too Haryana farmers and police clashed; that was after an MLA made abusive comments during a spat with protesting farmers within the town of Tohana.
Angry farmers surrounded his vehicle and, the subsequent day, his home. Several were arrested and multiple FIRs were registered, including one for manhandling the MLA, Devendra Babli of the JJP.
The three farm laws have triggered widespread and furious protests from farmers; they assert the laws will rob them of guaranteed prices for his or her crops and leave them at the mercy of corporate interests. the govt., however, has insisted the laws will benefit farmers.
Several rounds of talks are held but no resolution is visible , with the govt unwilling to scrap the laws (one of the farmers’ demands) and therefore the farmers standing firm.
