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Journalism of Courage
There is an air of nervousness in the Haryana unit of the BJP on the eve of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s Sirsa rally on June 18, where the party is expected to blow the bugle for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Despite the party holding all 10 Lok Sabha seats in the state, rising discontent towards it, especially among the state’s rural population, and recent moves by its ally, the Dushyant Chautala-led Jannayak Janata Party (JJP), have spooked the party’s state leadership.
Amid rising tensions between the BJP and JJP, Dushyant recently declared that the JJP would fight all the 10 Lok Sabha seats in the state in 2024, and is planning to hold rallies starting from Sonipat on July 2.
The BJP hopes to make the Amit Shah rally a show of strength, and is not leaving any stones unturned for the same.
Accordingly, all its MLAs from Haryana, and all its 10 Lok Sabha MPs and Rajya Sabha MPs will attend the Sirsa rally. Sirsa MP Sunita Duggal is in charge of the arrangements.
What has made the BJP nervous are protests announced by Haryana farmers, wrestlers, sarpanches and various employee associations ahead of the rally. Various farmer unions, khap panchayats and village sarpanches in the state are already up in arms against the BJP government on a range of issues, and recently forced the government to concede their demand for MSP on sunflower seeds after protests.
Both the sexual harassment charges against Haryana minister Sandeep Singh (who continues to be a part of the Khattar ministry), and against BJP MP and Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh also are vibrant issues in the state.
Last week, a sarpanch association showed black flags to Energy Minister Ranjit Singh at a meeting in Sirsa, and has announced it will hold a demonstration outside Shah’s rally venue on June 18.
In a bid to check what could prove to be embarrassing demonstrations, notices have been issued by sub-divisional magistrates (SDMs) to various sarpanches and farmer leaders, as well as Aam Aadmi Party leaders, against holding demonstrations near the venue. Police sources said a few preventive detentions have taken place.
The police have also moved an application in the Sirsa district court, citing “VVIP programme” on June 18, and saying it feared certain elements might disturb the law and order situation. The police sought that the court take undertakings from people planning protests that they would not disrupt the law and order. They have got notice to appear in court on June 16, including villagers and several AAP leaders.
In another sign of the BJP government’s nervousness, Haryana DGP P K Agrawal and state Intelligence chief ADGP Alok Mittal are in Sirsa, holding meetings with senior police officials and reviewing the security and law and order situation. Over 2,000 police personnel and seven duty magistrates are set to be deployed at the rally venue.
Reacting to the BJP’s preparations for Shah’s rally, AAP senior vice-president Anurag Dhanda said, “Why is the Union Home Minister so scared of the common man? As such, the rally will be a flop, but the BJP is taking out its frustration by harassing common people with police notices and court appearances.”
