Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij on Thursday said the state will investigate “the entire Karnal episode” as protesting farmers threatened to intensify their agitation and sought action against those who ordered the August 28 lathi-charge as well as IAS officer Ayush Sinha for his “crack their (farmers’) heads” remark.
However, the minister also warned farmers who have ‘gheraoed’ the Mini Secretariat that action would also be taken against them if they were found guilty. “We will probe entire Karnal episode… not just Ayush Sinha. We can’t punish officers without a probe,” he said, adding, “If farmer leaders are found guilty we will also take action against them.”
Vij’s statement came even as agitating farmers said they would continue their protest and warned of a “Singhu-like” situation. The three-hour-long talks between the district administration and the protesting farmers ended in deadlock on Wednesday with the latter rigid in their stand on seeking dismissal of an IAS officer who had ordered lathi-charge on August 28. The administration too seemed unrelenting in accepting the demand.
“Yesterday, we had two-hour-long talks and today also the meeting went on for three hours but it seems that the government doesn’t want an end to the dharna so we have decided to open a front here by sitting on a dharna. We won’t go anywhere, farmers from UP and Punjab will also join us here,” claimed farmer leader Rakesh Tikait.
Even as the talks failed, security was further beefed up and more police personnel were requisitioned fuelling fears of a confrontation. So far the dharna has not witnessed any skirmish between the two. “We will sit here peacefully. We don’t want any confrontation. But won’t relent on our demands,” maintained another protesting leader Yogendra Yadav.
The farmers have been insistent on action against Sinha. A video circulating hours after the incident showed Sinha asking policemen to “smash the heads” of protesters breaking down police barricades. Protesters want Sinha to face either murder (Section 302, Indian Penal Code) or attempted murder charges (Section 307, Indian Penal Code), but the administration has so far refused to give in.
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