Hisar: Pagri Sambhal Jatta Kisan Sangharsh Samiti's march to Delhi halted

Tribune News Service

Deepender Deswal

Hisar, March 8

After the police restrained activists of Pagri Sambhal Jatta Kisan Sangharsh Samiti from proceeding towards Delhi on foot, they started a dharna at the Landhri toll plaza on the Hisar-Sirsa highway today. The farmers have called a meeting at the toll plaza tomorrow, which is likely to be attended by leaders of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha and khap panchayats.

Govt accused of hypocrisy

• SKM leader Inderjit Singh accused the government of hypocrisy, stating that the CM had asked the farmers not to go to Delhi by tractors, but at the same time, deployed the police to stop the peaceful padyatra.
• Criticising the police for taking some activists into custody, the SKM stated that the curbing of peaceful movement amounted to violation of the fundamental right of citizens.

Earlier, the activists started a padyatra from various villages in Adampur and Agroha areas of the district to gather at the Krantimaan park in Hisar. However, the police stopped them near the toll plaza, near Dhandur village, about 16 km from Hisar. Many of them were walking while some others were in vehicles.

They, however, tried to argue with the police, which led to tension as the farmers tried to push their way to proceed to Delhi. The police detained six-seven activists and put them in a police van. They were released after some hours. The activists then sat on a dharna along the highway, though there was no road blockade.

Mandeep Nathwan, president of the samiti, who led the march, said they had abided by the instructions of the Chief Minister and thus started a foot-march to Delhi, instead of riding tractors. “But we were not allowed to reach Hisar town,” he said.

The state SKM has condemned the illegal and dictatorial act of the police for stopping the farmers’ march for taking part in the March 14 Kisan Mazdoor Mahapanchayat at Ramlila Ground.

SKM leader Inderjit Singh accused the government of hypocrisy, stating that the CM had asked the farmers not to go to Delhi by tractors, but at the same time, deployed the police to stop the peaceful padyatra. Criticising the police for taking some activists into custody, the SKM stated that the curbing of peaceful movement amounted to violation of the fundamental right of citizens.

The BJP-led governments at the Centre and in Haryana had been deliberately creating law and order problems to divert the attention of people from the real issues pertaining to the legal guarantee of MSP, electricity amendment Bill, loan waiver and pension for all farmers and agricultural labourers, it said.

The SKM will convene an emergency meeting of the state body and contact the national leadership to plan the next course of action for the restoration of movement of farmers to make the Delhi mahapanchayat a success.

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