Farmers' protest: Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij on Thursday said the state government was ready to investigate former Karnal SDM Ayush Sinha, but the probe will also cover entire episode leading to police action.
Farmers have been demanding action against Sinha, who was caught on tape allegedly telling police personnel to "break heads" if the protesters crossed the line. After his video surfaced, Sinha was transferred out of Karnal. However, farmers have been demanding suspension and probe against formal Karnal SDM.
Today, the state home minster said: “Farmers are agitating in Karnal, it's their right. Our officers are talking to them. Talks are important but only valid demands will be accepted. We can't hang someone just because someone else says so. It's not that nation's IPC is different from farmers' IPC."
Vij further said that the government was ready to conduct a fair investigation “but it's not only the SDM (Ayush Sinha) who will be probed, the entire episode will be investigated too". “If farmers and their leaders are found guilty, action will be taken against them too," Anil Vij said.
On Wednesday, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said that farmers' talks with the Karnal administration had failed, and that protest would continue. “Talks failed, sit-in protest will continue," Tikait said after meeting with the Karnal administration.
Haryana Bharatiya Kisan Union chief Gurnam Singh Chaduni said that farmers would not go anywhere from Karnal until their demands were met. "We are saying transferring him (Ayush Sinha) is not a punishment. We are also saying when farmers are booked for even road blockade, why not take action against the officer who ordered (police) to break heads," he said.
