The BJP has cancelled all the three rallies of Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar scheduled for Saturday stating that he was busy somewhere else. However, 23 farmer unions of Punjab claimed that it was because of their proposed protest at all the rally sites because of which the rallies were cancelled. To celebrate the cancellation of rallies, the BKU Dakaunda even took out a victory rally at the grain market of Jagraon on Saturday morning. Khattar had to address rallies in Gill and Jagraon constituencies of Ludhiana district while the third one was in Kapurthala. "In Jagraon, a rally was proposed at a marriage palace adjacent to the grain market of Hathur village in support of BJP candidate Kanwar Narinder Singh. Farmer unions got to know about it on Friday as preparations were in full swing. We gave a message via village gurdwaras in nearby villages that we had to gather at the helipad site and at rally site. The message spread like wildfire. BJP was aware of our plans so they cancelled the rally Friday night itself," said Manjeet Singh Dhaner, senior vice- president of BKU Dakaunda. "Till Friday evening, preparations were on. Arrangements were being made to construct a helipad at grain market and security was busy in the area to do barricading. Administration was in touch with us till late into the night on Friday. We are adamant on lodging our protest against BJP leaders and don't want to allow them to enter villages. They may have said that CM was busy but our protest call was also on," Dhaner said. Kanwaljeet Singh Khanna, BKU Dakaunda leader from.Jagraon, said, "Our members from Moga and Barnala would have come had there been a rally at the site. But as it got cancelled, gathering of farmers of about four villages was held in the area." When contacted, Anil Sarin, chief spokesperson of BJP Punjab, said, "Haryana CM's programmes had been cancelled on Friday night itself because of his other engagements and it had nothing to do with any protest by farmers." The farmers were to protest against non-implementation of demands which were agreed upon by the NDA government before they lifted dharnas from the Delhi borders.
