Khattar invites protesting sarpanches for dialogue

ROHTAK: Chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar has invited protesting sarpanches for talks on Wednesday in Chandigarh after they showed him black flags during his trip to Sonepat on Tuesday.

The sarpanches have been for the past many days protesting against the government’s e-panchayat system. They have demanded withdrawal of e-panchayat with immediate effect besides implementation of Haryana Panchayati Raj Act, remuneration for gram sachivs on par with patwaris and pension for sarpanches.

The CM, who had come to Sonepat to inaugurate ₹175-crore IIT Delhi Technopark, was shown black flags by sarpanches of over 40 villages. They, however, were soon detained by the police.

“The sarpanches are welcome to Chandigarh tomorrow. All their problems will be heard and redressed,” Khattar said.

The state government has been maintaining that implementation of the e-panchayat project in Haryana will not only increase transparency, but also help keeping tabs on corruption at the village-level.

Recently, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal during his road show had attacked Khattar over the protests of sarpanches. He had also announced that all their demands will be met if Aam Aadmi Party was voted to power in 2019.

On the violence that broke down in several parts of Haryana during Bharat Bandh on Monday, Khattar said he supported Centre’s review petition filed in the Supreme Court against dilution of the SC and ST Act. “Besides some stray incidents, Haryana was mostly peaceful,” he added.

THE SARPANCHES HAVE BEEN DEMANDING WITHDRAWAL OF EPANCHAYAT WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT