Haryana deputy CM cancels Jind event due to farmers’ stir

ROHTAK: Haryana deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala had to cancel a programme scheduled at Jind on Friday after farmers, led by women, started a march towards the city even after facing a tough time with the police.

Dushyant is the only minister in the BJP-JJP coalition government who has failed to enter his home constituency Uchana, in Jind, since the farmers’ protest started in November last year.

Earlier in the day, Dushyant inspected the site of a temporary hospital in Hisar and announced that the 500-bedded hospital will be started by May 16. “The equipment will be airlifted by May 14 and the hospital facility will be functional from May 16. It will benefit patients coming from Hisar, Jind, Bhiwani and Fatehabad,”

he added.

The women protesters who were sitting in front of tractors led the march on Friday and removed barricades. Police tried to stop the protesters but due to the large gathering it failed. The protesters reached the PWD resthouse where Chautala was scheduled to chair the meeting and raised slogans against him, besides burning his effigy.

BKU district president Azad Palwan said Dushyant had made plans to enter Jind even after knowing that farmers here are unhappy with him.

“He failed to extend support to our protest against Centre’s three farm laws. We had announced a boycott of BJP-JJP leaders supporting the Haryana government in our villages and will show them black flags if they try to enter,” he said.

“We don’t want to see his face,” the protesters said.