BKU leader Rakesh Tikait leads a protest in Hisar on Monday. PTI
Deepender Deswal
Tribune News Service
Hisar, May 24
In a major boost to farmers, the district administration today agreed to withdraw all criminal cases registered against them in the district during the past month. The decision, taken at a meeting between farmers’ leaders and district and police officials in the mini secretariat here, ended the weeklong stalemate between the two sides.
After attending the meeting, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait told mediapersons that the administration had accepted farmers’ demands and the FIR against 350 farmers on May 16 which included the attempt to murder charge would be withdrawn.
“The FIR registered on May 16 and three or four other cases registered against farmers in Hisar will be withdrawn as per the legal process which will start within a week. The administration will award compensation to the farmers whose vehicles were damaged during the May 16 clash,” said BKU leader Joginder Singh Ugraha.
He said the farmers would continue to boycott the BJP and JJP leaders across Haryana as per the call of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha. However, they had accepted the administration’s appeal not to damage public property.
The SDM, Hisar, Jagdeep Singh, who was also present at the meeting, said it was decided that the cases would be withdrawn tentatively within one month. A family member of the farmer Ramchander of Ugalan village who died of heart failure during the protest demonstration today would be given a contractual job in Hisar.
It took nearly two hours for the two sides to reach the agreement. In the meantime, about 10,000 farmers held a dharna at Krantiman Park, about 2 km from the mini secretariat. A heavy police force was deployed near the mini secretariat and residences of top bureaucratic, police and judicial officials in the district.
Agreement reached after 2-hour meeting
- FIR against 350 farmers lodged on May 16 to be withdrawn as per legal process
- Admn to award compensation to farmers whose vehicles were damaged
- Farmers accept admn appeal not to damage public property