BJP's Gobind Kanda leads Ravana effigy burning in Sirsa after brother Gopal Kanda skips event

Just two days after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided properties linked to him, former Haryana minister Gopal Kanda withdrew from a scheduled public appearance for a Dasehra event in Sirsa. In his absence, his brother and BJP leader Gobind Kanda attended the event as the chief guest and led the ceremonial burning of Ravana’s effigy.

The event, organised by Shri Vishnu Club near Chaudhary Devi Lal University, attracted thousands of people. Gobind Kanda lit the 70-foot-tall effigy to loud cheers and chants of “Jai Shri Ram”, followed by vibrant fireworks. The specially designed effigy featured 20-foot spiral moustache and sound effects, drawing applause from the crowd.

Sources close to the organisers said Gopal Kanda had confirmed his attendance earlier, but cancelled his visit at the last minute, allegedly due to the recent ED action. The ED had raided multiple premises linked to him and his family across Delhi, Gurugram, Goa, Mumbai and Rajkot on September 30 in a case related to the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999.

Another major programme was held near Sawan School, where Rajya Sabha MP Subhash Barala served as the chief guest and performed the effigy burning. Addressing the gathering, Barala said, “Dasehra is not just about burning Ravana, but defeating the negativity within us.” He urged people to commit to righteousness and social harmony.