BKU says won’t allow Haryana ministers to hoist flag on R Day

Farmers in Haryana Thursday announced that they’ll not allow any minister of the BJP-JJP alliance government to hoist the tricolur at any official Republic Day function anywhere in the state.

Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Subhash Gujjar, however, said that anybody, from a “peon to the Deputy Commissioner”, can hoist the national flag.

“We have decided that no minister, including the chief minister and the deputy CM, will be allowed to hoist the national flag on January 26. Only district administration officials shall be allowed to hoist the national flag,” said Gujjar.

He said it has been nearly two months that thousands of farmers have been sitting on roads with women and children “but this government has turned a blind eye towards us”.

A farmer leader said they will “repeat Kaimla village” at all such venues where any BJP or JJP minister will be reaching to hoist the national flag.

On January 10, protesting farmers had ransacked the venue of a kisan mahapanchayat at Kaimla village in Haryana’s Karnal district where Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar was to address people to highlight the benefits of the Centre’s three agriculture laws.

Another BKU leader Mandeep Singh said, “We have made full preparations for the tractor parade in Delhi on January 26. BKU will hoist national flag in Delhi”.

As per the schedule released by the state government for January 26, Governor SN Arya will unfurl the flag in Panchkula, Khattar in Panipat and Dushyant in Ambala. Vidhan Sabha Speaker and BJP leader Gian Chand Gupta will unfurl the flag in Yamunanagar, Deputy Speaker Ranbir Gangwa in Mahendragarh (Narnaul), Education Minister Kanwar Pal in Gurgaon, Transport Minister Mool Chand Sharma in Rewari, Power Minister and independent MLA Ranjit Singh in Bhiwani, Agriculture Minister JP Dalal in Rohtak, Cooperation Minister Dr Banwari Lal in Nuh, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Om Prakash Yadav in Jhajjar, Woman and Child Development Minister Kamlesh Dhanda in Fatehabad, Archaeology & Museums Minister and JJP MLA Anoop Dhanak in Sirsa and Sports & Youth Affairs minister Sandeep Singh in Palwal.

State police officers have been formulating detailed security plans so that all such events can be held without any disruption of law and order. However, there were inputs that farmers would attempt to scuttle the events and create disruption.

Several Haryana ministers have been facing protests wherever they go to hold any official functions.

Farmer union leaders have been issuing appeals to people not to allow any BJP or JJP leader to hold any official function and wherever they are seen in public, farmers should reach the venue and lodge strong protest.

“All such information is being closely monitored and adequate security measures are being put in place not to allow any disruption of law and order at any place. If anybody violates law, stern action will be taken against such unscrupulous elements,” a senior police officer said.