Haryana transfers Karnal SDM who instructed cops to ‘smash heads of farmers’ in a viral video

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 1

The Haryana government on Wednesday transferred Karnal SDM Ayush Sinha, whose video instructing policemen to “smash heads of farmers” during a recent farmers’ protest had gone viral.

The 2018-batch IAS officer has been posted as Additional Secretary, Haryana Citizen Resource Information Department, at Chandigarh.

The IAS officer drew widespread condemnation from leaders of various political parties and bureaucrats for allegedly ordering police to “smash the heads” of protesting farmers.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had earlier admitted that the choice of words by Ayush Sinha, a 2018-batch IAS officer, was wrong but had defended the police action.

Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala had disapproved of his remarks and promised strict action against him.

The officer, deputed as duty magistrate during the farmers’ protest in Karnal, was caught on camera purportedly asking police to break farmers’ heads. The video went viral.

Leaders of various parties had also condemned the magistrate’s remarks.

“The brutal lathi charge on farmers by the Haryana Police at Gharonda, in Karnal is absolutely unwarranted. Despite the peaceful protest by farmers, the police launched a lathi charge on them resulting into many farmers getting injured,” NCP leader Sharad Pawar had tweeted.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and the state’s Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu had also condemned the police action.

“Deplorable assault on the protesting farmers is an attack on Fundamental Rights of every Indian … earned after innumerable sacrifices during the freedom struggle, It impinges and impedes on the spirit of the Constitution and Breaks the Backbone of India’s democracy !!,” Sidhu had tweeted.

TMC MP Mohua Moitra had said the officer should be named and shamed.

“’Agar aaye toh sar foota hua hona chahiye uska. Clear hai aapko (Break their heads if they come. Is that clear?’- Karnal SDM Ayush Sinha, 2018-batch IAS Haryana cadre. Name and shame these disgusting bootlickers. Remember Nazi guards at Holocaust camps also claimed they were doing ‘duty’,” she had said on Twitter. With PTI inputs