Protesters outside Narnaund police station in Haryana’s Hisar district. Express Photo PROTESTING FARMERS continued to lay siege at Narnaund police station in Haryana’s Hisar district for the third day on Sunday, demanding withdrawal of an FIR registered against farmers in connection with a protest against BJP Rajya Sabha MP Ram Chander Jangra on November 5. The farmers also announced their decision to ‘gherao’ the office of the Hansi SP on Monday.
The protesters are also demanding an FIR against Jangra and his associates “for assaulting a farmer, Kuldeep Rana, who was among the protesters on November 5”. Police however have been insisting that Kuldeep was injured after falling in a street nullah.
On November 5, Jangra had gone to Narnaund to lay the foundation stone of a dharamshala. When the farmers came to know about his visit, they started gathering there with black flags. The farmers were also angry at the Rajya Sabha MP for allegedly calling them “jobless alcoholics and bad elements” earlier.
The police had installed barricades to halt the movement of the protesters, but the latter succeeded in surging ahead. Police alleged that a few protesters attacked the MP’s car and smashed its windscreen. They detained two protesters and lodged an FIR against them and one other protester.
The farmers then started a dharna at Narnaund police station, demanding release of their comrades. After a few hours, the police released the detainees but the dharna continued with the demand of withdrawal of the case lodged against the protesters.
A local farmer leader, Vikas Sisar, said on Sunday that they will be assembling at the SP’s office Monday “to seek justice for the injured farmer Kuldeep Rana”. Senior BKU leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni said “Rana is currently under treatment in a private hospital of Hisar where he is fighting for his life”.
Chaduni also demanded that the government bear the cost of the treatment.
The police had said that Rana had lost his consciousness after an internal head injury. Meanwhile, BKU has stated that the doctors have performed surgery on Rana successfully and he was kept under observation.
Eleven months ago, the protesters had announced a “social boycott” of BJP-JJP leaders over the issue of the three farm laws. However, the BJP has been blaming the Opposition, particularly Congress and communists, for the farmer agitation.
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