Chandigarh: Pressure has mounted on Manohar Lal Khattar-led Haryana government as a large number of farmers continue their protests outside the Karnal secretariat here on Wednesday demanding action against IAS officer Ayush Sinha, who ordered a police lathi-charge on a group of peasants on August 28.
Sinha, who was Karnal SDM, was transferred out as part of a larger bureaucratic shuffle and posted as additional secretary of the Citizen Resources Information Department after he was caught on tape allegedly telling policemen to "break heads" if the protesting farmers crossed the line. About 10 farmers, who were protesting demanding repeal of the three farm laws, were hurt in the clash with police as they tried to march towards the venue of a BJP meeting.
Read: Karnal SDM transferred, posted as Additional Secretary to Haryana Government's CRID
Several rounds of talks between the Karnal administration and the farmer leaders yielded no results as the latter remained firm on their demand that the officer should be dismissed from service or at least be suspended. According to reports, the next round of talks is likely to be held Wednesday evening.
On Tuesday evening, thousands of farmers from Haryana and neighbouring states held a mega march from the Mahapanchayat venue to the secretariat over the failure of the government to take action against the officer. Police used water cannons to disperse the crowd of protestors.
Read: Haryana CM Khattar condemns Karnal SDM's 'words' not 'action'
Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar earlier admitted that the choice of words by Ayush Sinha was wrong but had defended the police action. The CM said that the officer's job was to maintain law and order, but the choice of words should have been better. Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala had also expressed displeasure over the IAS officer's remark and had promised action against him.
