NEW DELHI: The farmers on Saturday blocked national and state highways after the police ‘lathicharged’ protesters in Haryana’s Karnal.
The farmers were protesting against a meeting on the upcoming municipal polls chaired by chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar.
Several farmers sustained injuries in police action after which the farmers have gathered in large numbers on several toll plazas in the state.
Here are the latest developments:
-The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has called for a ‘Bharat Bandh’ on September 25. In a statement, the farmers’ union spearheading the movement against agriculture laws at the Delhi borders for the past nine months said SKM National Convention at Singhu Border has decided to “Form joint committees of the SKM in all states and districts in India, to ensure a pan-India expansion and intensification of the farmers’ struggle.”
-Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar defended police action and said “obstructing official work is against democracy”. “If they wanted to protest, they should’ve done it peacefully. If they jam highways and throw stones at police, then police will also take steps to maintain law and order. We’ll look into it and take necessary action,” Khattar said.
-Commissionerate of Panchkula informed that Surajpur Toll Plaza (Kalka-Zirakpur Highway) has been blocked by protesting farmers. “To protest the baton-charge in Haryana’s Karnal, all the roads will be blocked till 5 pm in the state,” said BKU leader Rakesh Tikait.
-The SKM, which is an umbrella organisation of the farmers’ association protesting against the Centre’s farm laws, appealed to the farmers to block the roads to express their solidarity against the police action on farmers in Karnal.
– The state police drew severe criticism for the action against the farmers, and several roads were blockaded at different places in protest. The affected routes included the Fatehabad-Chandigarh, Gohana-Panipat and the Jind-Patiala highways, and the Ambala-Chandigarh and the Hisar-Chandigarh national highways.
-Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala the BJP over Saturday’s incident in Karnal saying, “Today’s incident has hurt every people in Haryana…” Criticising the BJP for the “bloodshed”, Surjewala said the incident would not be easily forgotten.
-Rahul Gandhi shared a picture of an injured farmer to condemn the police action in Karnal.
-Meanwhile, the police said only mild force was used as the protesters were blocking the highway, affecting traffic movement.
– Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also strongly condemned the police action and said such acts by the ruling party would end up being “nails in its own coffin”. “Farmers work hard in the fields and the BJP sheds blood when they [farmers] talk about their rights,” she said.
