Protesting farmers threaten siege in Har

Karnal : Thousands of farmers started marching towards the district headquarters here on Tuesday evening after union leaders said their talks with the local administration had failed.

Farmer unions had demanded action against officials over the lathi-charge against protesters on August 28 in Karnal. Otherwise, they had threatened farmers will lay siege on the Karnal mini-secretariat – a threat they appeared to be carrying out.

Farmers reached the New Anaj Mandi for a mahapanchayat in the morning, riding tractors and motorcycles. As they gathered there, an 11-member delegation was invited by the local administration to discuss their demands and dissuade them from marching towards the secretariat.

"Our talks with administration failed as they did not agree to our demands," senior farm leader Joginder Singh Ugrahan said about three hours later. Farmer union leaders then urged the large gathering at the mahapanchayat to march peacefully towards the mini-secretariat, five kilometres away.

The leaders told the farmers not to enter into any confrontation with policemen, and squat in protest wherever they are stopped. Thousands of protesters walked towards the secretariat carrying farmer union flags. Several barricades have been put up on the route.

Congress chief spokesperson, Randeep Surjewala said in a statement, "The Khattar government has lost the confidence and the mandate of the people and it should leave. When your party can talk to the Taliban, why not farmers."

As farmer groups continue to protest against the three contentious farm laws and scores gathered at a new grain mandi to attend the Kisan Mahapanchayat in Haryana's Karnal on Tuesday, one of the members on the Supreme Court constituted committee on the farm laws has written to Chief Justice N.V. Ramana seeking release of the panel's report into public domain and sharing it with the government.