After high voltage drama in Kurukshetra, farmers threaten to seal Haryana on September 20
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Nitish Sharma
Tribune News Service
Kurukshetra, September 10
After a high voltage drama involving face-off between police and farmers, cane-charged by the police to disperse farmers and stone-pelting by farmers followed by an hour-long blockage of Delhi-Ambala NH by angry protestors, the BKU finally went ahead with its proposed ‘Kisan Bachao-Mandi Bachao’ rally against three agriculture ordinances, at Pipli grain market on Thursday.
Adopting a tough posture, the farmer unions and commission agents have threatened to seal Haryana on September 20 if their demand of withdrawal of three ordinances on agriculture sector, and another demand to make a law ‘Right to sell at MSP’ are not met by September 19.
Giving a four-day ultimatum to the government, at ‘state-wide rally, the farmer unions have decided to start dharnas at district headquarters across the state from September 15 onwards, if the centre or state government failed invite the farmers for discussion or withdraw the three ordinances by September 14, block all roads and seal the entire state on September 20, if their demands are not met by September 19.
BKU Chief Gurnam Singh Charuni alleged “We had given the call of a peaceful rally but the farmers were not allowed to reach, barricades were installed by the police, and farmers were cane-charged as well. We have given an ultimatum to the government and we will stick to our demands. Our rally was successful.”
Earlier in the day, scores of farmers reached Pipli to attend the rally as per their announced schedule, despite no permission given by the local administration. The police had installed barricades and locked the gate of the grain market. The police had to use mild force to disperse them after the farmers attempted to break the nakas in order to reach the grain market. The protestors allegedly tried to run over the Shahabad SDM with a tractor-trailer who was on the spot to stop the farmers.
However as the day progressed, a large number of farmers from other districts reached here, they staged a dharna outside Pipli zoo and completely blocked the national highway, for nearly an hour, causing inconvenience to commuters. A convoy of Indian army also got stuck.
To get the national highway restored, the administration allowed the farmers to hold their rally at the grain market.
Deputy Commissioner Sharnadeep Kaur, said “Due to COVID pandemic no permission was granted to the farmers to hold the rally, but they blocked the highway, law and order situation can’t be compromised at any cost, and to maintain the security and safety of the public they were allowed to go to the grain market.”
SP Astha Modi said “The farmers attempted to break the nakas repeatedly and used tractor-trailer for this following which they were pushed back. They also pelted stones, in which policemen have suffered injuries and we are taking stock of the situation. A large number of farmers were stopped within their own district boundaries but still farmers reached here using two-wheelers and cars. Appropriate action will be taken against the organisers under the relevant sections of IPC, CrPC, and disaster management act.”
