CHANDIGARH: Farmers’ protests have been going on for more than nine months at Singhu and Tikri border near Delhi. Now, Karnal in Haryana is becoming a third protest site, as talks between farmer leaders and district administration remained inconclusive for the second day.
Farmers have been demanding that the district administration suspend Sub Divisional Magistrate Ayush Sinha and register a case against him. Sinha was caught on camera directing policemen to “break the heads” of farmers.
A large number of farmers from Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh are now squatting at the gates of the Mini Secretariat in Karnal.
“Talks with officials of the Karnal district administration went on for three hours, but remained inconclusive, as officers are not ready to suspend Ayush Sinha and register a case against him. Thus, now we have decided to continue our protests here. We will protest here till our demands are met. Now, Karnal is another centre of protest like the Delhi borders,” farmer leader Rakesh Tikait said. “Now we have pitched tents and are ready for the long haul. The district administrations are defending the IAS officer responsible for the lathicharge on farmers,” he said.