To support the farm laws, Khattar’s Kisan panchayat enrages up protesting farmers.
Key sentence:
- The police sealed all the roads leading to the villages with the support of trucks laden with construction material.
- Farmers’ union representatives have declared a meeting at Karnal’s Bastara toll plaza at National Highway 44.
- A local BKU (Charuni) leader, Jagdeep Singh Aulakh, trying to divide farmers by conducting such meetings.
Instead of Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s Kisan Mahapanchayat, heavy police mobilization was made across Karnal’s Kaimla village, aiming at drumming up support for the three contentious agricultural laws that have triggered massive protests in North India.
Roads blocked by the police towards villages:
The police sealed all the roads leading to the villages with the support of trucks laden with construction material parked on the roads to prevent the entry of farmers protesting towards the rules. It is confirmed that Khattar advanced their visit to the villages to pre-afternoon.
To control the law-and-order situation in the area, additional forces from the surrounding districts have been brought in, and duty magistrates have been named.
Meeting at 10 am by Farmers Union Leader:
On the other side, farmers’ union representatives protest against the rules and have declared a meeting at Karnal’s Bastara toll plaza at National Highway 44, best known as Delhi-Chandigarh Highway, at about 10 am.
The Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) activists have already agreed to oppose the Kisan Mahapanchayat and, after a meeting, will determine their further strategy. The farmers’ leaders have circulated black flags to protesters and are likely to move toward the village of Kaimla, about 8 km from the toll plaza, for a rally.
Jagdeep Singh Aulakh trying to divide farmers by holding such meetings:
A local BKU (Charuni) leader, Jagdeep Singh Aulakh, suspected the chief minister and the BJP leadership of trying to divide farmers by conducting such meetings.
“What is the logic of conducting such meetings in favour of agricultural laws when the agitation of farmers on the borders of Delhi (against the laws) has reached its 45th day,” he asked.
“The citizens of the village of Kaimla are also opposed to this program, and we are making efforts to ensure that perhaps the rally does not take place, but that the demonstrations will remain peaceful,” he continued.
Karnal’s deputy commissioner Nishant Yadav stated:
Karnal’s deputy commissioner, Nishant Yadav, has claimed that the union leaders were told that if they tried to disrupt the program, strict action would be taken towards them. They are permitted to peacefully hold their protest at the Bastara toll plaza, though.
