BJP holds workers’ meeting amid protest

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Tribune News Service

Bathinda, December 26

Facing a backlash from farmers over the three agriculture laws, state BJP president Ashwani Sharma today addressed a meeting of the party workers in a private hotel in the city amid tight security.

Sharma first went to the residence of BJP leaders Kanchan Jindal and Ravinder, who sustained injuries in the clash between farmers and party workers on Friday, and inquired about their wellbeing.

After yesterday’s widespread protest against the BJP, the Bathinda police today made an elaborate arrangement with the heavy deployment of personnel on all the ways leading to the hotel, which was cordoned off with barricades. SSP Bhupinderjit Singh Virk and civil administration officials, including ADC and tehsildar, were present at the spot. Farmers under the banner of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) protested at some distance from the hotel and raised slogans against the BJP.

“We have already announced that the protest against BJP leaders in the state will continue till the Centre rolls back the famr laws,” said Sukhjiwan Singh, a farmer leader. Mediapersons and police personnel were not allowed in the BJP meeting.

Later, talking to mediapersons, Sharma condemned the ransacking of the venue for a BJP event yesterday. He said in democracy everyone has a right to expression.

On Friday, farmers ransacked the venue where BJP workers had gathered to celebrate former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee birth anniversary on Amrik Singh road in the city and they disrupted the event. Even a clash between farmers and BJP workers was also reported.