Farmers don’t allow Chautala to speak

ROHTAK: Former Haryana chief minister and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) chief Om Prakash Chautala was not allowed to address the farmers at Jind’s Khatkar toll plaza on Sunday.

Chautala urged the protesting farmers multiple times to give him mike but Khera Khap president Satbir Pehalwan turned down his request. The 86-yearold INLD leader left the venue in a huff and reached Baddowal toll plaza where he was received well. Khatkar toll plaza falls under the Uchana assembly segment and Baddowal comes under Narwana. The INLD leader had represented both the constituencies in the past and were considered his strongholds.

Pehalwan said their stand against political figures was clear from day one of the agitation. “chautala was not an exception as he also has political ambitions. We will not allow any leader to speak from our stage. Politicians can extend support but we will not allow them to speak from the main stage. We briefed Chautala about the same but he was mounting pressure to let him address the gathering,” the khera khap president said.

Khattar toll plaza falls under Uchana constituency which Chautala had represented before he was convicted in the teachers’ recruitment scam. Now, his grandson Dushyant Chautala, who is deputy chief minister in the BJP-JJP coalition government, represents the constituency.

Speaking at Baddowal toll plaza, Chautala said the BJP government will have to repeal three farm laws and the Union government’s countdown has started. “This is not an agitation of farmers and labourers but of all the people. The BJP government had brought these laws to snatch farmers’ land and hand over the same to big businessmen,” he said.

After being released from the Tihar jail, the INLD patriarch has been visiting toll plazas to extend support to the farmers.