Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal’s “Kisan Mahapanchayat”, slated on Sunday in Kaimla village of Karnal, was cancelled as hundreds of protesters indulged in vandalism and violence at the venue, just ahead of the arrival of the CM, forcing authorities to cancel the event.
A sizable chunk of police force was deployed on all the roads heading to the village so that protesters could be stopped from reaching there but the police failed to stop them. It resulted in the cancellation of the programme and the protesters ransacked the tents and main stage of the event. Although, it was said on the part of the government that the mahapanchayat could not take place due to bad weather conditions.
Besides, the protesters took control over the makeshift helipad where the helicopter of the CM was to land. They broke through six checkpoints set up by police to reach the helipad.
At the ‘Kisan Mahapanchayat’ venue, over 2,000 farmers were present apart from a large number of officials and Cabinet Ministers when the protesters swarmed the site and vandalised it.
The ministers were later escorted by police to safety as chaos prevailed. The protesters left after vandalising the venue, with police preferring not to intervene.
The farmers associated with the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni) have accused the Chief Minister of attempting to divide the farmers by holding such meetings.
“What was the need to hold a ‘mahapanchayat’ when thousands of farmers have been sitting on the Delhi borders for the past 46 days to demand repeal of the three farm laws?” a protesting farmer asked.
It is pertinent to mention that the Kisan Panchayat was slated in support of the farm laws by the ruling faction.
“The entire Opposition including the Congress and communists continue to misguide the farming community which is not fair,” said CM Manohar Lal. Besides, Gurnam Singh Chaduni, the state president of BKU is responsible as he provoked his supporters to spoil the programme, he added.
“Today’s incident gave a message to people, bigger than what I’d intended to give. These people have defamed the farmers because a farmer doesn’t have such nature. A farmer can be less educated or simple but he’s sensible,” the CM further added.
Reacting to the same, Gurnam Singh Chaduni said that the government must quit its stubborn attitude and take back the three farm laws.
While regarding the same, the Congress stalwart and state party president Kumari Selja said that the BJP-JJP government of Haryana has completely lost the trust of people of the state. She said that the way Right to Recall provision has been made in the panchayats by the Haryana government, in the same way, if the Right to Recall is adopted by the BJP-JJP government under the present circumstances, this government will not come back to power again. She has demanded convening assembly sessions with immediate effect on the issue of farmers and the government should gain confidence motion.
With agency inputs