Farmers detained over bid to disrupt Hans Raj Hans poll campaign in Faridkot

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, April 24

The police here on Wednesday detained 24 farmers, some women and children for allegedly trying to stop BJP candidate from Faridkot Hans Raj Hans from campaigning at Arianwala village in the district. While women and children were released by the police at some distance from the protest site, all farmers were taken to the Police Lines, Faridkot, and released in the evening.

Not scared

I am not a man who will get scared and run away. I will fight, will cry and get my voice heard. — Hans Raj Hans, BJP candidate

The police alleged that the protesting farmers were trying to stop Hans from visiting Arianwala village, where he was to hold a meeting with party workers.

“The police requested the farmers to not block the road with tractor-trailers as it was an illegal act. We have no objection to their protest, raising of slogans or showing the black flags, but obstructing the way amounts to an illegal act,” said Jasmeet Singh, SP Faridkot.

The protesters were detained to maintain law and order and avert any clash, he further said. There was no detention of any women or child, he added.

The protesting farmers claimed that they were blocking the road to meet Hans and wanted him to answer their questions. “Before the arrival of Hans, the police detained the farmers by bundling them into a bus and taking them to the Police Lines in Faridkot to ensure smooth poll campaigning of Hans,” said Pal Singh, a farmer union leader.

Hans claimed that obstructing his way to any village or town was an illegal act. “I have invited the farmer union leaders many times to meet me any time and raise their questions, but instead of indulging in dialogue, these protesters want to scare me away,” he said.

“But I am not man who will get scared and run away. I will fight, I will cry and get my voice heard. The protesters have every right to raise their questions, start campaign against me, but they cannot block my way to any village or town. I have resolved to go to every village despite all these protests,” he said.

In view of Hans being surrounded, heckled and shown black flags at many places in the rural area of Moga and Faridkot districts and Rampura Phul and Gidderbaha areas of Bathinda and Muktsar, the police have increased his security cover.

Keeping in view the security threat to a political leader, we are bound to increase his security cover to avoid any untoward incident, Harjit Singh, Faridkot SSP, maintained.

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