Haryana IAS officer defends himself over 'break heads' order against farmers

The police lathi-charge against protesting farmers in Karnal, Haryana, on Saturday has led to renewed support for the farmers' groups opposing the three agriculture reform laws passed last year.

Around 10 people were injured as police confronted farmers who were moving to disrupt a BJP meeting at Karnal, being attended by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

In addition to images of farmers with injuries and bloodstains going viral, video footage of an IAS officer issuing orders to policemen posted near the route of the farmers' match has also been circulated.

The IAS officer was identified as Ayush Sinha, a 2017 batch IAS officer, who is posted as sub-divisional magistrate of Karnal.

The Indian Express reported Sinha could be heard saying, "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... No one should break the cordon and reach me. If someone does, make sure he has a broken head. Hope this is clear."

Congress Rajya Sabha MP Deepinder Hooda posted the video clip on Twitter. He tweeted, "The duty magistrate in Karnal had given direct orders to the police that whoever passes through here, his head has to be broken. As a result, many farmers suffered serious injuries. The BJP-JJP government has crossed all limits of cruelty. Can a government behave like this with its own countrymen?"

Hooda warned, "By getting protection from the BJP-JJP government, you are saying that 'pull the stick, break your head, I will give it in writing'. So I am also giving 'by writing'-The coming (next) government will be farmer-friendly, and when this happens, the officers who misunderstand 'democracy' as 'lathitantra' (rule of baton) will also have to give an account of their action. remember."

BJP Lok Sabha MP Varun Gandhi also tweeted the video, noting, "I hope this video is edited and the DM did not say this… Otherwise, this is unacceptable in democratic India to do to our own citizens."

The purported statement led to demands from the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, the umbrella body of farmers’ unions protesting against the farm laws, to seek action against Sinha.

Sinha told The Indian Express he had acted given the "security threat" caused by the protest. Sinha told The Indian Express, "I was posted at the third and final checkpost before the meeting spot. There was a high possibility that any breach of the third naka would have led to vandalisation, and also certain unscrupulous elements were part of these protesting groups. It could have been a security threat. So, keeping these factors in mind, I was briefing the forces at my location. I was briefing them on the procedure, a checklist as per provisions under the CrPC. I told them that we would give them (protesters) warnings, followed by use of water cannons, announcement of teargas firing and then lathi-charge, if need be."

Sinha alleged only the video clip of him had been doctored and "only a selected portion of my briefing was leaked”.

“The lathi-charge that took place was at Bastara toll plaza where another SDM, not I, was deployed. My location, the point where I was deputed, was 10-15 km from the spot where the actual lathi-charge took place. Nothing happened at my naka. The police personnel, who were briefed by me, did not do anything. None of the protesters reached there and nothing happened at my naka,” Sinha told The Indian Express.

The Indian Express added the Haryana Chief Minister's Office had spoken to Sinha about the incident and found his explanation to be satisfactory.

'Rank holder' jibes

The video clips of Sinha led to comments against him on social media. Twitter users noted Sinha had secured the seventh rank in the 2017 UPSC examination.

Sinha is the son of a late Indian Forest Service Officer.