Haryana: Security beefed up, prohibitory orders in place in Karnal ahead of Kisan Mahapanchayat

Ahead of Kisan Mahapanachayat scheduled to be held in Haryana's Karnal to protest against the Centre's three agricultural laws on Tuesday, prohibitory orders have been placed in the district banning large gatherings as a "gherao" has also been planned by farmers at the mini-secretariat over the August 28 lathi-charge.

Security personnel in large numbers have also been deployed in the new Anaj Mandi area in Karnal from where the farmers have plans to proceed to the mini-secretariat.

Meanwhile, the State government has suspended mobile internet and SMS services in Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind and Panipat to curb "spread of inflammatory material and rumours" today.

In the Karnal district of Haryana, Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code has also been put in. Under Section 144 public assemblies are banned, district officials said.

Traffic on National Highway 44, which connects Delhi to Chandigarh has been diverted from Karnal.

The Haryana government on Monday announced the suspension of Internet and SMS services in Karnal, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind and Panipat districts from 12:30 am tomorrow (September 7).

According to information from Haryana, DPR, in order to maintain law and order in the state, the government was suspending internet and SMS services from midnight Tuesday till September 7 midnight.

In the Karnal district of Haryana, Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code has also been put in. Under Section 144 public assemblies are banned, district officials said.

Ahead of the Mahapanchayat in Karnal by farmers tomorrow, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij had on Monday requested farmers to hold a peaceful protest and said the state machinery is prepared and has made suitable arrangements, including deploying adequate security and creating route diversions.

"Everyone is allowed to raise their voices and to hold peaceful protests in a democracy. Tomorrow farmers are planning a protest, they are welcome to do so but the protest should be peaceful and should not cause any hindrance to the public", the chief minister said on Monday addressing reporters.

"We have made all the necessary arrangements. As a precautionary measure, internet services have been suspended and some routes have been diverted," Vij had said.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha, which is heading the farmers' agitation against three farm laws, has given a call for gherao of the secretariat demanding registration of an FIR against those officers who had allegedly ordered a lathi charge on agitators during their protest against a BJP event in Karnal on August 28.

Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Pilibhit, Varun Gandhi had come out in support of protesting farmers and said that the Centre should understand the pain of farmers.

Farmers have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital since November 26 last year against the three newly enacted farm laws: 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.

Farmer leaders and the Centre have held several rounds of talks but the impasse remains.

(ANI)

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