Tension brewing, farmers pitch tents at Tohana

Deepender Deswal

Tribune News Service

Hisar, June 6

Even as SKM activists Vikash Sisar and Ravi Azad were granted bail by a Tohana court, farmers led by BKU’s Rakesh Tikait on Sunday raised tents in the Tohana police station complex and launched an indefinite dharna after four-hour-long talks with the district administration on withdrawal of criminal cases against Sisar, Azad and others failed.

An SKM leader said the district officials, including the DC and SP, failed to give an assurance on withdrawal of cases against the farmers. Joginder Singh Ugrahan, who reached Tohana today, said farmers from Haryana and Punjab had begun to descend on Tohana. “This dharna is being converted into a morcha. We will go back only after our demands are met,” he declared. Legislator Devender Singh Babli of the JJP had on Saturday night tendered an apology to the farmers, indicating that his PA and driver would withdraw the police complaint against the farmers. However, the matter could not be resolved owing to another FIR registered on June 3 in connection with the gherao of the MLA’s residence on the night of June 2 in which the police itself is the complainant.

Senior district officials said they would take legal opinion on the matter before proceeding any further.

Tikait and Haryana BKU chief GS Charuni have had differences on whether the farm unions should back Sisar and Azad. The had gone to Babli’s house, defying the SKM leaders’ decision on the issue. While Charuni sees them as “rebels”, Tikait continues to back them.