Deadlock over canal water continues

Deepender Deswal

Tribune News Service

Hisar, February 23

The meeting between Agriculture Minister Om Prakash Dhankar and agitating farmers remained inconclusive here today. The farmers refused to call off their dharna after the minister failed to assure them of fulfilling their demands.

The minister met a delegation of farmers, who have been staging a dharna for the last 38 days under the banner of the Jal Sangharsh Samiti at the Mini-Secretariat, in support of their demands.

Their demands include adequate water supply in several villages of Nalwa and Adampur Assembly segments.

After the discussion, samiti leader Virender Punia said they were not satisfied with the assurance of the minister.

“The minister did not offer any solution to our problem. We have decided to continue our protest till our demands are met,” said Punia.

Earlier, farmers staged a demonstration carrying black flags at the main entrance of the Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agriculture University (HAU), where the minister was to attend a meeting.

The farmers also planned to gherao the minister and show him black flags. However, the minister advanced his arrival and reached the university last night after being informed about the farmers by the authorities concerned. A heavy posse of police force was deployed at the main gates of the university.