Farmers Movement Archive

Former BJP minister confined in Rohtak village

Haryana Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) vice-president and former state minister Manish Grover, BJP general secretary (organisation) Ravindra Raju, Rohtak mayor Man Mohan Goyal and other senior leaders of the saffron party were kept confined for hours at a temple in Kiloi village in Rohtak district on Friday.Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) leader Inderjit Singh said farmers and local residents of Kiloi village started protest against BJP leaders for using a temple to fulfil their political agenda.“How a party can live telecast Prime Minister’s speech at a temple?” he questioned.The BJP leaders had assembled at Kiloi to hear the live telecast of PM Narendra Modi’s speech from Kedarnath Temple where he had gone to perform ‘aarti’ at the shrine.Farmers protesting against three farm laws locked the main entrance gate of the Shiva Temple at Kiloi village and took BJP leaders hostage. Heavy police force was also deployed to maintain law and order and both sides were at loggerheads.After the situation got tense, additional forces from Jhajjar, Sonepat and Jind were called at Kiloi village to keep peace in the village.While the farmers claimed that the stand-off situation ended after BJP leaders climbed on the terrace and apologised, Grover has denied this.Grover, after leaving the temple, said a few social organisations’ people had met them and urged to wave towards the protesters to end the deadlock.“We did not apologise to anyone. We will continue to visit the shrine,” Grover said.SKM leader Inderjit Singh, however, maintained that the protest was lifted after Grover and others apologised to the villagers. “But they took a U-turn after leaving the village,” Inderjit said.Meanwhile, a spokesperson of the Rohtak administration said the dispute which had arisen due to a misunderstanding in Kiloi village was resolved peacefully.The spokesperson said the villagers had gathered outside the ancient Shiv Temple in the village over some issue.“It was not an issue which required an apology. Rather, it was a misunderstanding,” the spokesperson said.“After coming out of the Shiv Temple, former minister Manish Grover said the dispute had arisen due to a misunderstanding. He said as soon as the villagers understood the reality, the matter was resolved,” the spokesperson said.Quoting Grover, the spokesperson said some people of the Hooda Khap came to him and requested him to wish everyone ‘Ram-Ram’ from the balcony and the matter was resolved thereafter.Grover said he did not apologise to anyone, nor was it such a matter. “It was a misunderstanding which has now been resolved. He said whenever Lord Shiva will call him to Kiloi village, he will come to this temple to pay obeisance. The temple is for all and this fact should be understood by all sections of the society,” Grover said.

Hindustan Times

06-11-2021

Chandigarh