The Bharatiya Kisan Union-Charuni or BKU(Charuni) national president Gurnam Singh Charuni on February 14 condemned the “inhuman” and “unconstitutional” methods being used by the government to allegedly suppress the farmers’ agitation and called an emergency meeting of office-bearers to plan the group’s future strategy.
The farmers’ group, which wields considerable influence in the farming community in Kurukshetra and adjoining districts, has thus far stayed away from the ongoing agitation.
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In a video statement released after a core committee meeting at Kuruskhetra in the morning, Mr. Charuni advised the government to show restraint. “There are reports of clashes at many points on the Haryana-Punjab border, and use of force by the police. Several farmers and policemen are injured. The government should show restraint and not commit atrocities on farmers. These farmers are no foreigners. It is not an International Border that the farmers are being meted out such a treatment. The government should prevent the situation from escalating further. It should be resolved through talks because the demands of the agitating farmers are genuine and supported by the entire farming community,” Mr. Charuni said.
He added that office-bearers from across the State will meet on Thursday to discuss the prevailing situation and the group’s future course of action.
Haryana Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) senior vice-president Anurag Dhanda said the general public and businessmen were suffering losses due to the Internet shutdown. “Farmers are moving towards Delhi peacefully, but still the government wants to create fear in the minds of the masses by shutting down Internet services. All the demands of the farmers are legitimate,” Mr. Dhanda added.
The Haryana Police have issued a traffic advisory suggesting a diversion for those travelling to Chandigarh from Delhi, Sirsa and Hisar. For those travelling from Delhi to Chandigarh, the police have suggested the Karnal-Indri-Ladwa-Yamuna Nagar-Barwala-Panchkula route or the Karnal-Ladwa-Babain-Dosarka-Panchkula route be taken.
Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure are in place in 15 districts in Haryana, and 64 companies of paramilitary forces and 50 companies of police have been deployed to maintain law and order.
