Haryana Dy CM vows action against Karnal SDM for 'crack their heads' remark on farmers

Aug 29, 2021

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], August 29 : Condemning Karnal sub-divisional magistrate Ayush Sinha's instructions to policemen to "crack" the heads of protesting farmers in a viral video, Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala on Sunday assured that action will be taken against the IAS officer.
"The use of such kind of words by an IAS officer for farmers is condemnable. Definitely, action will be taken against him. In a clarification, he (Karnal SDM Ayush Sinha) said he didn't sleep in the last two days. He probably doesn't know that farmers also don't sleep on 200 days a year," said Haryana Deputy Chief Minister.
Haryana Police lathi-charged on protesting farmers near the Bastar toll plaza on Saturday, where they gathered in large numbers to protest against a programme that Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar was scheduled to attend.
Following the incident, a clipping of a video went viral on social media, which was also tweeted by BJP MP from Pilibhit Varun Gandhi, in which Karnal SDM Ayush Sinha could be purportedly seen instructing policemen to "crack their (protesting farmers') heads" to prevent them from moving forward and not to let anyone breach the security cordon.
"No matter what happens, nobody will cross this barricade. We could not let this line be breached at any cost. Let me make it clear, break the heads of all those who try to cross. I am the duty magistrate, and I'm giving you these instructions in writing. Hit them with your cane straightaway...We have enough force available. We haven't slept for the past two days. But you have come here after taking some sleep. No one should break the cordon and reach me," Sinha said in the video.
Later issuing clarification on the viral clipping, Sinha told ANI that, "Stone pelting had started at many places... It was said during the briefing to use force proportionately."
Several farmers were injured during the police action on Saturday. Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Sunday slammed the Haryana government for police's action and alleged that "the country has been occupied by the state-run Taliban, the commander of the government Taliban is present in the country and that these commanders have to be identified".
"There is the commander who gave the order to break the head. Through the police force, they want to take over the entire country," further said Tikait commenting on the injured farmers at the Karnal's protest.
Meanwhile, farmers blocked the road at Bhandari Bridge in Punjab's Amritsar on Sunday for two hours in protest against the lathi charge on protesting farmers in Karnal.