Haryana Police use water cannons to disperse farmers in Jhajjar

Farmers protesting the farm laws gathered at Nehru College in Jhajjar after getting to know of deputy CM and Jannayak Janata Party leader Dushyant Chautala’s visit

Police used water cannons to disperse protesting farmers when they forcibly tried to enter the Government Post-Graduate Nehru College in Jhajjar, where Haryana deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala attended a programme on Friday afternoon.

Haryana Police using water cannons to disperse farmers from protesting outside a college where deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala was to attend a function in Jhajjar on Friday. (HT Photo)

The farmers, including women, marched towards Nehru College and clashed with cops. The policemen used water cannons to disperse them.

They protesters showed black flags to Dushyant when he reached the protest site and raised anti-government slogans. The district administration has allowed a group of 15 protesters to lodge their protest peacefully after the clashes.

Chautala distributed biomedical instruments to self-help groups of women at a function on campus. Addressing the self-help group, Chautala urged them to make jute bags and print their village name on it.

“I urge the district administration to use jute bags instead of plastic bags,” he added.

Protesting against the Centre’s three farm laws, the protesters gathered outside the college and tried to remove the police barricades to enter the campus. They police used water cannons to disperse them.

Later, Bharatiya Kisan Union activists said they would continue with their peaceful ‘social boycott’ of BJP and its ally Jannayak Janata party leaders.

Jhajjar superintendent of police Rajesh Duggal and deputy commissioner Shyam Lal Punia reached the venue to oversee law and order.

“We are also your children and doing our duty as government officers. You have a right to hold a peaceful protest but not to cross limits by throwing barricades. The programme has been organised by social organisations and if you start protesting against the organisations, where will society move? I urge you not to take the law into your hands,” Punia told the protesters.

After attending the programme at the college, Chautala visited Jharli village power plant followed by unveiling the statue of soldier Ajit Singh at Jhamri village.

Amid farmers’ protest, BJP leaders give Ambala meet a miss

AMBALA Amid farmer’s protest for several hours, senior BJP leaders were unable to attend the party’s ‘Tridev Karyashala’ meeting at Bansal Palace in Ambala’s Barara town on Friday.

Farm activists, led by district BKU (Charuni) chief Malkit Singh, reached the spot and allegedly blocked a road outside the venue.

“The meeting was earlier scheduled to take place in Mullana but it was changed overnight. But we will follow them anywhere they go. One of our colleagues was injured during the protests,” he said.

BJP state unit is organising such workshops at every constituency to train party cadres at booth level and such meetings are attended by three workers of each booth, a party leader said.

Sources said due to protests, local MP Rattan Lal Kataria, Yamunanagar MLA and party’s Ambala in-charge Ghanshyam Das Arora, and district president Rajesh Bataura were unable to attend the meeting.

Former MLA Rajbir Barara was the only senior leader present.

DSP (Barara) Rajnish Kumar said, “We had to use water cannons to disperse crowds and avoid them to block the highway. One farmer received injuries during police action.”