‘Condemnable, Action Will Be Taken’: Haryana Deputy CM on Karnal SDM’s ‘Crack Farmers’ Heads’ Remark

Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala on Sunday said action would be taken against Karnal Sub-divisional magistrate Ayush Sinha, who purportedly asked police to “crack” the heads of farmers staging protests in the state on Saturday. “The use of such kind of words by an IAS officer for farmers is condemnable. Definitely, action will be taken against him,” ANI quoted Chautala as saying.

The viral video showing SDM Sinha, asking policemen to hit protesting farmers on their heads if they tried to cross the barricades was shared by BJP MP Varun Gandhi. “I hope this video is edited and the DM did not say this… Otherwise, this is unacceptable in democratic India to do to our own citizens,” Gandhi tweeted.

Close to 10 people were injured on Saturday after the state police lathi-charged a group of farmers who had stopped traffic on a highway while heading towards Karnal to protest against a BJP meeting, where Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, state BJP chief Om Prakash Dhankar and other senior leaders were present. When asked by mediapersons, Sinha said that he was not aware of the video. He said that for the compliance of Section 144, some directions might have been given as stones were being pelted.

“It is very simple and clear, whoever he is, wherever he is from, no one should be allowed to reach there. We will not let this line be breached at any cost. Just pick up your lathi and hit them hard… It’s very clear, there is no need for any instruction, just thrash them hard. If I see a single protester here, I want to see his head smashed, crack their heads,” Sinha is heard saying in the video.

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