As world celebrated ‘International Day of Non-violence’ on Saturday, thousands of protesters, shouting slogans and waving flags against Centre’s farm laws, gathered outside the residence of Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar in Karnal. Police had to use water cannon against them as they broke barricades.
Haryana police on Saturday sprayed water cannon on a group of farmers who had gathered outside Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s residence to protest against the farm laws and the Centre’s decision to delay paddy procurement in Punjab and Haryana till October 11. They were seen shouting slogans and waving flags angrily while standing on top of barricades to force their way inside the CM’s residence.
This was the third consecutive day when police and protesting farmers have clashed in Haryana.
Paramilitary forces have been deployed outside Khattar’s residence, while roads leading to his house have also been barricaded by Haryana Police. “Peaceful protest is the right of people but if they indulge in any sort of violence or block the highways or main roads, legal action shall be taken. We are closely monitoring the situation,” a senior Haryana police officer.
Similar protests were witnessed in Jhajjar and Ambala a day ago. The Haryana Police used water cannons on Friday to disperse farmers who had gathered in the two cities to oppose events of BJP and JJP leaders. In Jhajjar, the protesters jumped barricaded and tried to enter the venue where Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala was to attend a programme.
The Centre on Thursday had postponed procurement of kharif paddy in Punjab and Haryana, which usually begins on 1 October to 11 October as the crop maturity is delayed and moisture content in fresh arrival is beyond permissible limits owing to recent heavy rains.
In Karnal, the Haryana Police used water cannons to disperse protesting farmers after they tried to lay siege on Khattar’s residence, while in Shahabad and Panchkula, the agitators used tractors to break police barricades to reach houses of BJP leaders, including Haryana Minister Sandeep Singh, officials said.
The situation became tense in a few places in Haryana and Punjab after minor clashes broke out between farmers and police. In several places in these states farmers after reaching residences of ministers, legislators and MPs, parked their food grain-laden trolleys in front of their houses.
