Farmers stage protest, accuse Haryana government of not fulfilling promise

Hundreds of farmers associated with SKM on Monday held a protest at Karnal accusing the Haryana government of not fulfilling its promise of withdrawing the cases registered against the farmers

Hundreds of farmers associated with the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Monday held a protest at Karnal accusing the Haryana government of not fulfilling its promise of withdrawing the cases registered against the farmers during the farm agitation last year.

The farmers gathered outside the mini-secretariat, Karnal, and demanded the SP to take action against the officials involved in the lathicharge on farmers at Karnal’s Bastara on august 28 last year. They accused the Haryana government of not fulfilling its promise of withdrawing cases registered against them during the farm agitation last year. (HT Photo)

Led by SKM leaders Darshan Pal and Suresh Koth, the farmers gathered outside the mini-secretariat, Karnal, and demanded the Karnal superintendent of police to take action against the officials involved in the lathicharge on farmers at Karnal’s Bastara on august 28 last year.

“The Haryana government has not only betrayed farmers but also turned back from its promises made to farmers in November last year. Even a defamation case was filed by an inspector of the Karnal police against 36 farmers, accusing them of harming his image during the farm agitation last year,” said Darshan Pal.

He added that they will take up this issue at the national meeting of the SKM in Delhi on September 4. He said that the government did not complete the investigation of the one-member commission set up to investigate the lathicharge at Bastara toll plaza.

Koth said that the farmers and the government had reached a consensus to withdraw complaints against farmers and police officials filed by each other. “But now the government has turned back from its promise and we have to adopt a similar way to force the government to fulfil their commitments,” he added.

Replying a question about the differences within farmer leaders after the agitation ended, Darshan Pal said that the farmers had suspended the agitation following an assurance from the government. “But now we see that the government is not firm on its stand and we need to start a new agitation in 2023 on several issues, including a loan waiver,” he added.

They paid tributes to a farmer, Sushil Kajal, who they claimed died due to the police lathicharge on August 28.