Clarion India
NEW DELHI – Thousands of farmers are protesting sedition case against 100 farmers and subsequent arrest of five of their men over an attack on Haryana Vidhan Sabha’s deputy speaker Ranbir Gangwa’s car on July 11.
According to Indian Express, the situation in Sirsa continues to remain volatile Saturday with thousands of protesters camping on the streets after the first round of talks between agitating farmers and the district administration failed.
Sirsa Civil Lines Police Station SHO Ram Niwas had said that a fresh FIR was lodged on Wednesday on the complaint of ASI Prem Singh who had received injuries when the agitators hit him with their tractor on July 11.
The 90-minute talk on Saturday was initiated only after the protesters managed to break police barricades and started walking towards the headquarters of the district administration. After the talks failed, farmers blocked Sirsa’s one of the busiest roundabouts — Prajapati Chowk — and the Sirsa-Barnala highway.
Prominent farmer leader Rakesh Tikait said, “Police do not have any evidence. They have sent their own men to create law and order issues and want to pressurise farmers. We shall hold a morcha here in Sirsa as a part of our ongoing struggle.”
Another leader said, “The district administration can say whatever they wish to. Under no circumstance they should have imposed sedition charges on any of our members. The administration offered to constitute a Special Investigation Team but what will an SIT do? It is meaningless. They should withdraw the FIRs registered and release our brothers.”
He was echoed by a protester, who said, “This is a mere tactic of the state governments to prevent us from marching towards Parliament on July 22. They want to divert our attention by registering such false criminal cases against us.”
Meanwhile, security was beefed up around the residences of deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala and state power minister Ranjit Singh Chautala in Sirsa.
Jain said, “We have made adequate deployment. Over 10,000 personnel from across all districts of Haryana, Rapid Action Force and paramilitary forces have been deployed along with 30 checkpoints so that nobody disrupts law and order and attempts to break the law.”
Jain added, “We are always ready to hold talks with farmers. We had held a meeting with them (farmers) on Friday too but there can be only legal solutions to legal cases, otherwise, there is no purpose of holding talks.”
Farmers had started reaching Sirsa from Friday night and over 10,000 police personnel has been deployed to prevent them from reaching the Sirsa SP’s office, district police headquarters and the residences of the ministers.
