Fourteen hurt in Raj police action
AT LEAST 14 PEOPLE SUFFERED INJURIES. SEVEN OF THEM WERE STILL ADMITTED IN
THE SRI GANGANAGARA HOSPITAL ON SATURDAY EVENING
JAIPUR: More than a dozen people, including farmers, were injured on Friday evening when police lobbed teargas shells into a crowd and lathi-charged to disperse them in Sri Ganganagar district barely an hour before chief minister Vasundhara Raje’s Gaurav Yatra was to pass through the site.
A police officer was also injured in the clashes.
Fifteen people, including Sri Ganganagar Kisan Samiti convener Ranjit Singh Raju and Congress leader Prithvipal Singh Sandhu, have been arrested in connection with the incident, according to the police.
The trouble began when the outfit’s leaders said they wanted to submit a memorandum to Raje on their long-pending demand of water for irrigation and purchase of crops at minimum support pri- ces (MSP) during the yatra. When they learnt that the chief minister would not meet them, around 300400 people assembled at Padampur road in Sriganganagar to stage a protest, as the yatra was to pass through there.
When the police asked the protesters to lift the road blockade, the crowd refused to budge. Subsequently, the police used force to disperse the mob. The protesters then reportedly scuffled with the authorities, following which, the police intensified the lathi charge and lobbed teargas shells.
At least 14 people suffered injuries that needed medical treatment. Seven of them were still admitted in the Sriganganara hospital on Saturday evening.
Rajendra Godara, a member of the Sri Ganganagar Kisan Samiti, dismissed reports that the protesters broke out into violence. he said they were peacefully waiting to present the memorandum to Raje. “Suddenly, the police attacked us with the canes and fired rubber bullets targeting the farmers. They also fired several rounds in the air.”
However, inspector general of police, Bikaner range, Dinesh MN said, “Charges of firing rubber bullets or firing rounds in the air are false and baseless.”
Congress leader and former chief minister Ashok Gehlot said it was unfortunate that the government was using force to suppress a farmers’ protest. “While the chief minister talks about listening to people’s grievances, she had no time to meet farmers who are demanding water for irrigation and purchase of crop at minimum support prices (MSP),” he tweeted.
Rajasthan BJP spokesperson Mukesh Parikh said, “Some organisations provoked the farmers” to disrupt Raje’s Gaurav Yatra.
All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) president Amra Ram said the lathi charge on farmers had shown the true nature of the government and threatened to launch an agitation. Sri Ganganagar collector Gyanaram could not be contacted for comments.
Meanwhile, addressing a rally at Sadulshahar in the same district on Saturday, Raje said, “My government has left no stone unturned to provide relief to farmers, right from farm to market.” Raje’s 40-day Gaurav Yatra was launched on August 4 and is scheduled to culminate on September 30. Rajasthan goes to polls later this year.