Chief Minister Khattar has defended the police action at the behest of Karnal's Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Ayush Sinha, who was seen instructing policemen that no protesters should go beyond a certain barricaded area, and that their “heads should be cracked” if such an attempt was made. After a video of Sinha asking the cops to use their lathis on farmers went viral, Khattar said that words were wrong but the intentions were correct.
“The officer's choice of words was wrong. The administration will look into the matter. He shouldn't have spoken those words, but strictness was needed to maintain law and order,” Khattar said at Chandigarh Press Club. “If they had to protest, they should have done so in a peaceful manner; no one would have any objection to that. They had earlier assured that they will hold peaceful protests. But if they hurl stones at the police, block highway, then the police will take steps to maintain law and order,” said Khattar.
The SDM was also defended by his immediate boss, the Karnal District Magistrate, Nishant Yadav. “Some words shouldn't have been used. As head of Karnal administration, I express my regret. But SDM, on duty, is a sincere officer. He used some words in heat of the moment, he shouldn't have. But his intention wasn't wrong,” Yadav said.
He further said that a “tailored version” of the video was shown by the media and that the video shows him giving instructions carefully. “Tailored version was presented in the media. The complete briefing wasn't presented where he properly briefed the policemen. He said that if protesters reach there, they'll be stopped, talked to and if they don't stop, force should be used.”
