Karnal (Haryana): Talks between farmers and officials - over permission for a protest march to the district headquarters in Haryana's Karnal - have failed, reports NDTV. 11 farmer leaders at the meeting are returning to the Karnal grain market, where the kisan mahapanchayat awaits, and are expected to announce that the march will go ahead regardless.
Rakesh Tikait and Yogendra Yadav, who were among those on stage at the mahapanchayat held at the Karnal grain market, were at the meeting. The farmers had planned that after the mahapanchayat they would march to and "indefinitely gherao" Karnal district headquarters.
Prohibitory orders issued in Haryana's Karnal district banning large gatherings as the Kisan Mahapanchayat is scheduled to be held on Tuesday. In the new Anaj Mandi area, large groups of security personnel were deployed.
In the Karnal district, Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code has ordered banning assemblies. On Tuesday, the state government suspended mobile internet SMS services in Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind and Panipat, between Tuesday to September 7 at midnight "to restrict the spread of inflammatory materials and rumours". Traffic on National Highway 44, connecting Delhi to Chandigarh, has been diverted from Karnal.
On Monday, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij had requested farmers to hold a peaceful protest. Protesters should not cause any hindrance to the public, he said. He added that the state is prepared and made the required arrangements, such as deploying security and diverting NH 44 traffic.
Meanwhile, BJP MP from Pilibhit, Varun Gandhi, supported the farmers and said that the government should understand the farmers' pain.
Since November 26, last year, farmers have been protesting against three farm laws passed by the Parliament, namely, Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. Despite several rounds of talks between farmers and the union government, an understanding has not been met.