Wrestlers’ mahapanchayat: On way to Delhi, farmers, khap leaders detained in Haryana - Hindustan Times
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Wrestlers’ mahapanchayat: On way to Delhi, farmers, khap leaders detained in Haryana

By, Rohtak/karnal/ambala
May 28, 2023 11:46 PM IST

Protesters were released later, Haryana Police had put up barricades at areas bordering with Punjab and national capital

Several khap leaders, women activists and farmer leaders were detained in the early hours of Sunday in Haryana, ahead of the mahila mahapanchayat called by women wrestlers in Delhi.

Heavy police force deployed in Ambala on Sunday.
Heavy police force deployed in Ambala on Sunday.

Taking a note of the calls of protest given by the wrestlers in front of the new Parliament building, the Haryana police managed to foil the attempts of farmer leaders to reach Delhi by detaining them.

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The women wrestlers have been protesting against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and they had given a call to hold a mahila mahapanchayat outside the new Parliament building in Delhi.

The police had detained khap heads, farmer leaders and other social activists in the early hours of Sunday in a bid to stop them from moving to Delhi to join the women wrestlers’ mahapanchayat. Many of the detainees were released by the evening. After the police detained several activists, farmers and villagers made a toll plaza in Hisar and some other parts free.

In Kurukshetra, the police detained Bhartiya Kisan Union (Charuni) state president Gurnam Singh Charuni from his residence around 5 am along with several other BKU members, invoking a protest by farmers outside a police station in Kurukshetra. However, Charuni was released around 1pm, but his detention helped the police to prevent farmers associated with BKU (Charuni) to reach Delhi. On being released, Charuni slammed chief minister Manohar Lal Khatter-led BJP government in Haryana for using the police to suppress the voice of people of the state on the day when the biggest democratic country of the world got a new Parliament building.

He said it is ironical that those who are seeking justice are being detained while those who face complaints are walking free. Charuni said on June 4, a state-level Mundlana panchayat will be organised in Sonepat district and dared the government to stop people from attending the event. He said former J&K governor Satya Pal Malik will also attend the panchayat and urged people of Haryana to reach there in large numbers.

The police also detained a woman khap panchayat leader, Santosh Dahiya, from her Kurukshetra residence. Dahiya alleged that the police came to her house without any intimation and stopped her from going outside to attend the wrestlers’ mahapanchayat in Delhi. She termed it as the murder of democracy.

In Karnal, the police detained some farmer leaders who were going to Delhi to attend the mahapanchayat. The police later released farmers led by BKU (Sir Chhotu Ram) state executive member Jagdeep Singh Aulakh. They were detained in Gharaunda when they were leaving for Delhi in private vehicles.

A group of farmers from Punjab, including women, who had halted at Gurudwara Manji Sahib in Ambala City for overnight stay were stopped by the police from going to Delhi

The place on NH-44 was turned into a fortress by Saturday evening with the deployment of huge police force. A minor scuffle also took place at the site, when the group tried to move towards Delhi forcefully, but were prevented by the police. Later, they protested outside the gurudwara and left for their homes in the evening.

A group of farmers of BKU (Shaheed Bhagat Singh) was also stopped from going ahead near Shahpur village on the outskirts on the same highway. Later, they also staged a protest on the service lane. Several farmers of the faction were detained last night and later released.

Meanwhile, superintendent of police Jashandeep Singh Randhawa said action would be taken against those who try to disrupt law and order, organise protests without permission, block public roads or spread rumours on social media.

Kandela khap head Om Parkash Kandela said he and his associates were detained by the Julana police in Jind when they were moving towards Delhi in the wee hours on Sunday.

“They kept us in the police station for nearly 12 hours. Holding demonstrations comes under the right to freedom and the government can’t stop us from carrying out peaceful protests,” he added.

The police installed barricades at entry and exit points in bordering areas and vehicles were checked thoroughly.

Jind superintendent of police (SP) Sumit Kumar said scores of people from Punjab who were headed towards Delhi to join the mahapanchayat were stopped at Haryana border as a precautionary measure. The SP denied reports of detaining several khap heads and farmer leaders.

Binain khap leaders were detained from Narwana railway station in Jind.

All-India Kisan Sabha Rohtak district president Preet Singh was also detained by the Rohtak police and was released in the evening.

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