Haryana officer asks cops to 'crack heads' of protesting farmers; Dy CM promises action

The officer who was identified as Karnal Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Ayush Sinha, was termed ‘Sarkari Talibani’ by the farmers

Farmer leaders on Sunday slammed the Haryana bureaucrat ordering police to “crack the heads” of protestors as ‘Sarkari Talibani’ even as Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala promised action against the officer.

Chautala’s remarks were contrary to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who defended the police action contending that the law enforcers responded only after the farmers started throwing stones at them.

“They (farmers) had earlier assured us that they will hold peaceful protests. But if they hurl stones at police, block highways, then the police will take steps to maintain law and order,” said Khattar.

Farmers’ groups blocked roads and highways in Punjab to protest against the police action on ryots in Haryana.

At a farmers’ meeting in Nuh in Haryana, Bhartiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait demanded action against the IAS officer who had asked policemen to “crack the heads” of farmers protesting near a meeting venue of Haryana chief minister and BJP leaders at Karnal.

Also read: Farmers assured peaceful protest, but stones hurled at cops: Khattar on police action in Karnal

“On Saturday, an officer ordered policemen to hit farmers on their heads. They call us Khalistani. If you would call us Khalistani and Pakistani, we would say Sarkari Talibani has occupied the country. They are Sarkari Talibanis,” Tikait said.

Chautala promised action against the IAS officer but also condemned the stone pelting at the police by farmers at Karnal.

“The 2018-batch IAS officer’s video has gone viral. Using such a language by an IAS officer is condemnable,” said Chautala, who leads the JJP, which is a coalition partner in the state government.

He said the officer's remarks clearly do not meet the ethical standards which are expected from such officers.

“Definitely, whatever action is deemed fit, the government will take it,” he said.

Samyukta Kisan Morcha, the organisation spearheading the farmers’ agitation against the three farm laws, has called for a Kisan Mahapanchayat in Muzaffarnagar on September 5 to further sharpen the nine-month agitation against the three farm laws.

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