NAWANSHAHR: Punjab BJP president Ashwani Sharma had to cancel his visit to Nawanshahr after protesters breached two barricades and gheraoed the venue where he was to meet local workers.
Sharma was scheduled to hold the meeting in connection with municipal elections at 1pm. However, local farmers’ groups gathered at the venue. Although police had barricaded the road to the venue, young protesters breached two layers of barriers and staged a dharna outside the venue in Pandora mohalla.
Local BJP functionaries remained inside the hall. Farmers continued the dharna till around 4pm. When they were told that Sharma would not come to the meeting, they left.
BJP district president Poonam Manik said it was a party meeting which was to be presided over by Ashwani Sharma. “Those who came outside our meeting venue were not farmers but workers of political parties,” she claimed.