Agriculture Minister JP Dalal shown black flags

Panipat, September 24

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The sacked physical training instructors (PTIs) along with Bharatiya Kisan Union activists and a group of villagers today showed black flags to Agriculture Minister JP Dalal in Mudlana village of the Baroda constituency in Sonepat. Heavy police force has been deployed to deal with any untoward situation.

Dalal was in Mudlana to address a public meeting in the village chaupal.

The sacked PTIs, who were sitting on dharna for the past 104 days in Gohana, had yesterday announced to gherao Dalal. The activists of Sarva Karamchari Sangh (SKS) also supported the protesters.

As Dalal reached the village, the protesters showed him black flags and gheraoed his car while raising slogans against the BJP-JJP state government. The police tried to pacify the protesters but in vain. Dalal was forced to sit in the car.

After around 20-25 minutes, SDM Ashish Vashishth and ASP Udai Singh Meena pacified the protesters who gave way to the minister.

As Dalal entered the chaupal, the protesters followed him and continued raising anti-government slogans during the speech. The administration moved out the minister safely from the back door of the chaupal after the public meeting ended.

Dharmender Pehalwan, state president, sacked PTIs’ union; district president Babita Malik; Satywan Narwal, state vice-president, BKU; Ramesh Atri, state joint secretary, SKS, and members of many other unions, farmers and women were present during the meeting.

“The PTIs have not been sacked by the BJP-led state government, but by the Supreme Court,” Dalal said. — TNS