10,000 farmers gather | Talks held in heavily fortified mini-secretariat

Deepender Deswal

Tribune News Service

Hisar, May 24

The day started with a massive build-up of farmers and the police in the town as the apprehension of a clash loomed large. The mini-secretariat and residences of the senior bureaucratic, police and judicial offices were heavily guarded. Vajra Vahan, riot control vehicles and mounted police vehicles took position early in the morning.

‘Pro-stir Villages reporting deaths’

• Vinod Mehta, media adviser to the CM, on Monday claimed villages that have been sending people to Kundli and Tikri borders for the farmers’ movement have witnessed a substantial number of deaths
• He told the media 275 deaths took place between April 11 and May 10 in 25 villages of Sonepat, Karnal, Kaithal, Jind and Ambala districts which sent people to protest at the Kundli border

About 10,000 farmers riding tractors gathered at Krantiman park from Hisar and adjoining districts. Leaders said the purpose was to get criminal cases against farmers withdrawn today itself.

On May 16, the police had lathicharged protesting farmers who had gathered to oppose Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s visit to the city to inaugurate a Covid hospital. Subsequently, 300 farmers were booked for attempt to murder, among other charges.

Around noon today, the district administration sent the invitation for talks to farmers.

Subsequently, farmers’ leaders Rakesh Tikait, Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Gurnam Singh Charuni, Suman Hooda, Sikkim Devi, Anu Sura and Reeman Nain reached the mini-secretariat, where Deputy Commissioner Priyanka Soni and other officials were waiting at the entrance.

The meeting concluded around 5 pm. The farmers’ leaders emerged out of the mini-secretariat with smiles on their faces.

Ugrahan claimed to the media that the district administration had agreed to withdraw criminal cases against farmers, dispelling all apprehensions of a clash as the day passed off peacefully.

Sources say that during the meeting a police official took a tough stand and blamed farmers for the violence during the CM’s visit to Hisar on May 16.

The farmer leaders countered him by saying that the police had not removed the barricades and that they had failed to convey to protesters that the CM had left the venue.https://22de56154e32b51485c246649689b659.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

During the meeting, the DC expressed regret over lathicharge on women activists, said a farmer leader.

The All-India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC), Haryana, termed the acceptance of demands as a “victory” for farmers’ mobilisation today.

Inderjeet Singh said the massive gathering resolved to intensify the farmers’ agitation at the Delhi borders and toll plazas.