Khattar may outright deny his involvement in the gruesome attack by his police on the farmers in which one farmer is reported to have lost his live, at least 20 received serious injuries. The police attack on the agitating farmers enjoyed his support and blessing is endorsed by his own avowal. After the brutal assault he said ““although the officer’s choice of words was not correct, strictness had to be maintained to ensure law and order situation there was kept under check”. Not only a naïve but even a stupid would make out the real implication of his reflexion. This nature of instruction to the police by a SDM that too when the agitators were holding peaceful demonstration has ominous meanings.

Ever since the farmers decided to oppose the BJP leaders in Haryana and showcase their protest against their scheming to foil the farmer’s agitation, Khattar has busy planning meetings. It was a deliberate attempt on his part to instigate the farmers to counter his moves and resort to violent protest. But the farmers have been maintaining utter perseverance and cool. They have been resisting but never took to violent protest.

What happened in Karnal is the clear manifestation of Khattar’s design. In a video clip that has been making the social media around the ADM, a junior IAS officer is heard instructing a group of selected policemen: “Utha utha ke maarna peeche sabko (hit them hard)… We shall not allow this cordon to be breached. We have enough force available. We haven’t slept for the past two days. But you have come here after taking some sleep… Mere paas ek bh ibanda nikal ke nahi aana chahiye. Agar aaye toh sar foota hua hona chahiye uska. Clear hai aap ko (No one should break the cordon and reach me. If someone does, make sure he has a broken head. Hope this is clear).”

Even while the senior IAS officer do not muster courage to order breaking of heads of the heads of the demonstrators, it is quite intriguing how a junior officer could indulge in such act. Obviously he has been under instruction. Khattar is the person to order is apparent from the remark of the deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala that the government would certainly take action against him. “I am pained from yesterday’s incident, the way statements that don’t meet ethical standards of an IAS officer were given by an IAS officer. Action will be initiated against him as per framework of time.”

Nonetheless Khattar has been evasive. In reply to Chautala’s demand, he quipped; “If any action has to be taken against the officer, it would first have to be assessed by the district administration. The DGP is also looking into it. To maintain law and order, strictness had to be ensured.” It obviously implied that re-enactment of Jalianwala episode had the blessings of Khattar. Why should not it be? It is a known fact that Khattar owes his post and power to though he in the initial stage was the nominee of the RSS.

It is shocking that Khattar in order to prove himself politically right has been twisting the basic of the politics and political rights. Justifying his government’s action of thrashing the farmers, he in the mot shameless manner said; “Today, you have called me here. But, if somebody says that they would not allow the CM to reach a certain place, is it correct? They farmers need to understand that they are not gaining anything out of such protests. People are no longer sympathetic towards them. I am getting phone calls that they farmers need to be dealt with strictly. But we are exercising restraint because they are our people.”

He added, “There is freedom of speech, but there are limitations to every freedom. If I flex my muscle and move my fist in the air and my fist hits your nose, that cannot be construed as my freedom.” He accused the Punjab government of misleading them. Khattar expressing his anguish and frustration said;” as per the democratic norms any body can do anything. They can show black flags, they can say whatever they want to, but they must not indulge in violence. They had earlier not allowed my helicopter to land in Karnal. Had I insisted that the helicopter will land at the same spot, police would have used force. What would have happened then?” Khattar was not telling truth when he said that the protestors were resorting to violence.

Khattar does not think it proper to review the Supreme Court observations. The apex court in on record that people have their right to protest. It is a normal practice that in a democratic set up agitators often obstruct the movement of the leaders to draw their attention. Khattar must not treat himself as a monarch. His defence of the SDM’s action is really shameful; “farmers had planned to not allow the meeting to take place and the district administration and police did what they had to do to maintain the law-and-order situation there. They could have shown black flags or resorted to sloganeering. That is permissible. Our state president OP Dhankar was stopped from reaching the meeting venue. Earlier, the Deputy Speaker of Vidhan Sabha’s vehicle was vandalised in Sirsa. Such disruptions are not permissible under democratic norms.”

It is worth mentioning that Satpal Mallick, a leader of high stature and governor has also condemned the action of Khattar and has put the blame for what happened in Karnal on him. HE even suggested that disciplinary action should be taken against the officer. Does Khattar think that he is the only politician to have the proper implication and interpretation of the executive rule book and how to govern?

Khattar’s action has a devious design. He resorted to this action to simply provoke the farmers to turn violent. But the farmers deserve appreciation that they have refused to be caught in the trap of the RSS and Khattar. A section of the media has been expressing apprehension that lathicharge incident might make farmers in India revolt and take revenge for each drop of blood that was shed by them. In fact the RSS and Modi government have been working on the design to make the farmers to take to this path as it would help them crack on the movement and finish it.

It is significant that farmer leader Rakesh Tikait described the civil officer Ayush Sinha as the commander of "Sarkari Talibani" for ordering police to "crack the heads" of farmers at a protest yesterday. He said; “they call us Khalistani. If you would call us Khalistani and Pakistani, we would say Sarkari Talibani has occupied the country. They are Sarkari Talibanis". Karnal episode should serve as the clarion call to unite all the opposition parties and launch a nation wide agitation against the brutal action of RSS and BJP.

The farmers’ agitation in India has attracted worldwide attention and support. During the Covid-19 pandemic, while all the sectors were thrown into a tailspin, the farm sector has sustained us. It is indeed a matter of great grief that Modi and his far-right BJP, does not take kindly to criticism, whether it comes from the citizens they are meant to serve, from the media, from opposition parties, or even from global celebrities. (IPA Service)