Farmer leaders saidon Wednesday that the second round of talks between them and the Karnaladministration has also failed. The farmer leaders said the talks broke down onthe issue of former SDM Ayush Sinha’s suspension and other demands could not beraised. Speaking to media persons, BKU leader Rakesh Tikait said theadministration is refusing to take any action against “officials who areresponsible” for the August 28 lathicharge. “They are getting their directionsfrom Chandigarh,” said Tikait, who had earlier said that the bureaucracyis doing its best to “protect” Sinha.
The tape triggeredmassive controversy for the district administration following which Sinha wastransferred out as part of a larger bureaucratic shuffle.
About 10 protesterswere hurt in the clash with police as they tried to march towards the venue ofa BJP meeting. Farm union leaders also claimed that a farmer died later, anallegation rejected by the administration.
Tikait said thefarmers will carry on their ‘pucca dharna’ at the spot and more supporters willjoin them from UP and Punjab. Haryana BKU chief Gurnam Singh Chaduni also saidthey will carry on with the siege until their demands are met and action istaken against the “guilty officials”.
Commenting on theadministration’s move to arrest the farmer leaders last evening, Tikait saidthe administration could have declared the ‘anaj mandi’ a jail. He cited theexample of Mumbai where the Azad maidan, was converted into a jail for over50,000 protesters. “Had the Karnal administration done that, we could havebrought our animals here. It would still have been a big win for us.”
Last evening, theprotesters had deflated the tyres of the police bus that farmer leaders hadboarded for courting arrest. The union leaders have said that the gherao of themini-secretariat will continue till their demands are met.