Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers gherao BJP functionary holding meeting in Bhawanigarh

Patiala: A senior BJP functionary and his party workers, who were holding a meeting in Bhawanigarh block of Sangrur district on Friday, were gheraoed by farmers and not allowed to leave for around three hours despite the intervention of police. Farmers also warned of more protests if BJP leaders continue to hold meetings with party workers in Sangrur district. Farmers claimed they gheraoed BJP’s Dinesh Kumar, who is general secretary (organisation) Punjab, to seek an assurance of not holding any such meeting in future in Sangrur district. BJP Sangrur district president Randeep Singh Deol also reached the spot and claimed that they were supporting the farmers. He said Dinesh was there to meet an ailing party worker but later decided to hold a meeting with local party workers. “Farmers reached after getting information about the meeting and urged us to listen to them. BJP is a democratic political party and it is our democratic right to hold a meeting as MC elections are ahead. If we have to fight elections, then holding meeting is a necessity,” Dinesh claimed. BKU (Ekta Ugraha) Bhawanigarh block leader Harjinder Singh Gharachon said, “We gheraoed the BJP leader who held a meeting with his workers. BJP leaders are trying to provoke farmers by holding meetings and supporting the agricultural laws enacted by the central government. We held a peaceful protest against the BJP leader.” Bhawanigarh DSP Sukhraj Singh said, “The BJP leaders told farmers that they were not here to hold any meeting but to meet a party worker in the district. No case is registered against anyone as no protester indulged in violence. Moreover, there is no complaint from BJP leaders or workers.”

The Times of India

2021-01-16

Chandigarh