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Police turn water cannons on protesting farmers in Sirsa
Situation turned tense when few protesters sustained injuries after some ‘unidentified’ persons pelted them with stones. A stand-off continued for three hours between the police and protesters.
Police on Tuesday resorted to using water cannons and tear gas to disperse the farmers heading towards the houses of deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala and his grand uncle Ranjit Chautala in Sirsa, seeking their resignation from the Manohar Lal Khattar government over the recently enacted three farm legislations.
Situation turned tense when few protesters sustained injuries after some ‘unidentified’ persons pelted them with stones. A stand-off continued for three hours between the police and protesters.
“A former BJP leader, who fought election as an Independent from Sirsa, tried to break the barricades and defame our agitation. The police failed to take any action against him,” said Swaraj India chief Yogendra Yadav, who in the evening sat on an indefinite dharna near Dushyant’s house.
Bharatiya Kisan union (BKU) state chief Gurnam Singh Charuni and Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee chief Baljit Singh Daduwal also took part in the daytime march, which was stopped by the police near Dushyant’s house in the heart of Sirsa city.
Heavy force was deployed in Sirsa city and 12 deputy commissioners were tasked with maintaining law and order. Few protesters also said that they were canecharged, a claim denied by the police.
Swaraj India chief said farmers from two dozen organisations had taken part in the protest to seek the resignations of Dushyant and Ranjit, who is also the state power and jails minister in the BJP-JJP government.
“The farmers have clearly asked the duo to choose whether they want to stay with them or the BJP government in Haryana. They can enjoy power for four years if they opt for the BJP, but the upcoming generations of farmers will never forgive them for supporting these death warrants,” he added.
Meanwhile, Independent MLA from Meham, Balraj Kundu, also reached Sirsa, but the farmers’ unions urged him not to share the stage.
