Jaipur, December 16 (IANS): Internet services have been suspended across Hanumangarh district from 11 AM on Tuesday until 12 PM on Wednesday, following orders issued by the Divisional Commissioner in view of the farmers’ mahapanchayat scheduled on December 17 at the grain market in the district headquarters.
The mahapanchayat is being organised to protest against the ethanol factory in Tibbi, and authorities said the suspension was ordered as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order.
A meeting between representatives of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) and district administration officials was held late Monday night but ended without a consensus.
The deadlock arose after District Collector Khushal Yadav insisted that tractors should not be brought to the mahapanchayat. Farmer leaders strongly objected to the condition.
Superintendent of Police Harishankar and other senior district officials were present during the discussions. The district administration, represented by the Collector and the SP, maintained that permission for the mahapanchayat would be subject to certain conditions, including no entry of tractors, specification of the number of participants, and prior permission for the assembly.
The SKM had proposed holding the mahapanchayat at the grain market in Hanumangarh Junction. Representing the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, Mangej Chaudhary, Resham Singh Manuka and Raghuveer Verma rejected the administration’s conditions.
They stated that tractors are an essential means of transport for farmers and that participants would be unable to reach the venue without them.
After the talks, Mangej Chaudhary said the movement would not be conducted under administrative conditions and that the mahapanchayat would proceed as per the previously announced schedule.
District Collector Khushal Yadav reiterated that permission to bring tractors would not be granted, citing instances of their misuse during earlier protests in Tibbi.
Meanwhile, senior farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal from Punjab arrived in Hanumangarh on Monday and expressed solidarity with the agitation committee.
However, he said he would be unable to attend the December 17 mahapanchayat due to a nationwide programme involving the submission of memorandums to District Magistrates.
--IANS
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