The Haryana government on Saturday ordered a judicial probe into last month’s clash between farmers and police and sent the IAS officer, who is at the centre of a row over his remarks, on leave. Following this, farmers called off their sit-in outside the Karnal district headquarters.
Haryana Additional Chief Secretary Devender Singh said the probe will be conducted by a retired judge and will be completed within a month. Former SDM Ayush Sinha will remain on leave during the time, he said.
Later, a joint press conference was conducted by Haryana government officials and farmer leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni was held in Karnal. Farmer leader Chaduni said they will call off their sit-in outside the Karnal district headquarters. On August 28, about 10 protesters were hurt in the clash with police, in Karnal, when they tried to march towards the venue of a BJP meeting. Sinha, a 2018-batch IAS officer was caught on tape allegedly telling policemen to “break the heads” of farmers if they cross the line. Following the incident, farmers had been demanding the suspension of Sinha. On September 2, he was transferred out of Karnal and posted as additional secretary of Citizen Resources Information Department.
Haryana Additional Chief Secretary Devender Singh on Saturday said the meeting between farmer leaders and the government officials was held in a positive atmosphere. He said the Haryana government will get a judicial probe conducted into the August 28 incident by a retired judge of the high court. The probe will be completed within a month and Sinha will remain on leave during the time, Singh added.
“The Haryana government will give jobs to two family members of deceased farmer Satish Kajal under sanctioned posts at DC rate in Karnal,” said Devender. Dubbing the farmers as “our brothers”, he said it was a “respectable agreement”. Earlier, on Thursday, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij said the government was ready for a probe into last month’s clash but warned that farm leaders too could face action if they were found to be at fault. He had offered an “impartial” inquiry into the “entire Karnal episode”.
