Farmers Movement Archive

Dhankar, farmers caught in cat-and-mouse game in Karnal

Bharatiya Janata Party’s Haryana unit president OP Dhankar was seemingly caught in a cat-and-mouse game with farmers throughout the day in Karnal on Sunday.Hundreds of farmers, under the banner of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, gathered at Karnal’s Salaru village around 9am after learning that Dhankar, along with sports minister Sandeep Singh, was to inaugurate a blood donation camp here. They came armed with black flags but the BJP leader did not turn up. After waiting and raising slogans against the government till 3pm, the farmers left the site.But around 6pm, three hours after the farmers had left, Dhankar arrived at the venue. As soon as the farmers got information about his arrival, they reassembled at the venue. The BJP leader, however, was whisked away amid heavy police deployment. This agitated the farmers, who blocked the Karnal-Yamunanagar highway. The farmers also accused the cops of manhandling a farmer.Jagdip Singh Aulakh, a local leader of BKU (Charuni), said, “We had got information about the programme from social media and gathered the farmers to register our protest.”Farmers’ bodies have been protesting at all public functions involving the leaders of the ruling regime in Haryana. Protest is political, says DhankarLater during an interaction with mediapersons at BJP office in Karnal, Dhankar said, “This agitation is political. People who are leading this agitation have political interests. The (new farm) laws are not being imposed on anybody forcibly. These are optional. We want the farmers to get better prices for their produce,” said Dhankar.

Hindustan Times

21-06-2021

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