JAIPUR: Thousands of farmers violated prohibitory orders at Rawatsar in Hanumangarh district on Tuesday to enter the town and start a siege to press their demand for release of the stipulated quantum of irrigation water in the Phase I area of the Indira Gandhi Canal Project.

The authorities, who had brought in water cannons and armed police personnel, including jawans from the Special Task Force, decided not to be provoked and allowed the groups to hold a meeting near the bus stand. The farmers, including 250 women, reached the town in the afternoon after marching 10 km from Chaiya village, where they were on a "padav" (siege) for the past week.

It was in Chaiya that the farmers had clashed with the police on the third of this month, the day the talks between the State Government and the representatives of Kisan Mazdoor Vyapari Sangarsh Samiti, the body spearheading the agitation, had broken down for the first time.

The leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) Vasudev, Amra Ram MLA, Burramal Swami, Rameshwar Verma and Jaiprakash Ghenju, led the farmers. The Congress leaders kept away as the party had a separate farmers' meeting at Lakhasar village in the neighbourhood.

"The successful entry of farmers into Rawatsar town proved a big moral victory for us. The people, braving the risk of police action in the wake of violation of prohibitory orders in the town, joined us for the long march," Prof. Vasudev said on phone from Rawatsar. "The police refrained from action seeing the determination of the farmers."

"A realisation has dawned on the people here that as long as they fight they are ensured of adequate water for the standing crops, not otherwise," Prof. Vasudev said pointing out that water was being released into the canal system in that area at present. The farmers are planning a meeting in Vujaynagar on Wednesday.

Participating in a "Meet the Press" programme organised by the Rajasthan Working Journalists' Union (RWJU) here in the afternoon, Home Minister G.C.Kataria ruled out any chance of providing a "package" to the family of Chandu Ram Saran, the farmer who had succumbed to injuries he allegedly suffered in the police lathi charge in October. The Minister also denied that he had ever stated that the farmer had died following a heart attack.

"I clearly said that only a post-mortem would bring out the real cause of death of Chandu Ram. The media quoted others quoting me talking about the heart attack theory," Mr. Kataria, who was accompanied by top brass of the police, said. "Now that the medical report has ascribed no specific reason for the death, there is no question of a package," he asserted.

"When the death is not due to police action, why should the State pay? They (those involved in the agitation) are big parties. Why can't they give (the package)?" he asked.

Mr.Kataria said there would be no initiative by the Government for any further talks on the issue. As for the basic issue of release of irrigation water in the Phase I area, the department concerned was open for talks, he added.

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