Jodhpur/Jaisalmer: The Kharwal community has decided to boycott Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he comes to
Pachpadra for foundation stone laying ceremony on January 16. The Kharwal community, engaged in salt extraction in Pachpadra since last six centuries, has threatened to hoist black flags on their houses on January 16 as a mark of protest. The community has been protesting the setting up of refinery in Pachpadra citing complete obliteration of the salt industry.
In a meeting held on Saturday at Jagnath Mahadev Math Kharwal Samaj Gurudwara at Pachpadra, the community members also decided to burn effigy of revenue minister Amra Ram Choudhary alleging cheating with the community.
A member of the community, Rakesh Kharwal, said, "We had registered our protest to with the administration who assured us to arrange a meeting with the chief minister Vasundhara Raje during her visit to Pachpadra on January 4.
We had been assured of serious consideration by the chief minister but we felt cheated by the administration and revenue minister Choudhary," he said adding that due to this assurance they also welcomed chief minister Raje with full warmth.
The community on Saturday passed a resolution against the event of foundation stone ceremony and decided to hoist black flags on their houses in Pachpadra along with burning the effigy of revenue minister Choudhary for cheating them.
Kharwal said that unless the government ensures their interests and considers their demand charter, they would begin a mass movement with support of over 13 lakh community members across the nation.
"This movement will be on the lines of Gandhiji's Satyagraha movement", said Kharwal.
