Gobind Kanda leads Ravana effigy burning in Sirsa

Just two days after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided properties linked to him, former Haryana minister Gopal Kanda withdrew from a scheduled public appearance at a Dasehra celebration 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 the Ravana effigy.

The event, organised by Shri Vishnu Club near Chaudhary Devi Lal University, attracted thousands of people. Gobind Kanda lit the 70-ft-tall effigy of Ravana to loud cheers and chants of “Jai Shri Ram,” followed by vibrant fireworks.

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.