Chandigarh: Citing a VVIP event on 18 June, district police in Sirsa, Haryana, have served notices to 130 persons, asking them to execute bonds that they will maintain peace. Union Home Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Amit Shah is holding a rally in Sirsa that day, where he is also expected to kick off the party’s campaign for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The people who have been served notices include sarpanches, farmer unions activists, and local leaders of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress.
Shah’s visit comes at a time when farmers have been up in arms against the government on a range of issues, and forced the government earlier this week to give into their demand for a Minimum Support Price on sunflower seeds after an agitation.
Haryana Sarpanches Association chief Ranbir Singh Samain had also announced 8 June that his union will hold a protest during Shah’s rally, demanding scrapping of e-tendering process and restoration of all the provisions of the Panchayati Raj Act.
Last month, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s Jan Samvad programme saw multiple disruptions. Naina Jhorar, sarpanch of Bani village of Sirsa, threw her dupatta at Khattar’s feet after she was not allowed to place her demands before him.
On another occasion, villagers from Dogda Ahir staged a sit-in outside the house Khattar was staying against elevating the status of Sihma village to sub-tehsil instead of their village.
Among the people who have been served notices are Naina Jhorar mentioned above, Ved Parkash, sarpanch of Jodhpuria village, senior Congress leader Raj Kumar Sharma, and Lakwinder Singh Aulakh, state president of farmers’ body Bhartiya Kisan Ekta (BKE).
BKE chief Aulakh alleged that the government is harassing them as it is afraid the rally will be a flop show. “Many of our farmer activists have got such notices. This proves that the BJP government is functioning like the British rule that did not allow anyone to raise their voice against injustice and oppression,” he added.
Aulakh said his BKE is a part of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha that carried out a 13-month stir on Delhi borders against the now repealed farm laws. He said he has told all members of his organisation to not accept these notices.
“We are not criminals, nor has my organisation given any call for opposing the rally…It became clear during Khattar’s Jan Samvad programme that people are no longer interested in the BJP and its programmes,” he added.
Meanwhile, the police said it was a routine practice. Sirsa Superintendent of Police Udai Singh Meena said the notices were aimed at securing peace during the rally.
“We have issued such notices to 130 persons. These are people who have a history of creating disturbance. These people are not from any particular political party or profession…The state Criminal Investigation Department provided us with a list of people who can create trouble during the rally or post provocatory material on social media to instigate people,” he said to ThePrint over the phone Thursday.
“They will have the liberty to use social media. But liberty is always accompanied by responsibility,” he added.
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‘Breach of peace’
One such notice issued to 15 people by the Ellenabad sub-divisional magistrate, Ellenabad (The Print has a copy), reads that the local police has submitted a “Kalandra” against these persons.
Kalandra is the police’s submission to the magistrate to issue a notice under section 107/150 of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) – in case of imminent breach of peace – to sign a bond of good behaviour.
“The Kalandra says that an event involving a VVIP is to be held at Sirsa on 18 June…persons mentioned in the list can disturb peace and tranquility during the event, which is a serious security matter,” said the order.
Directing those mentioned in the notice to appear before him on 16 June, the SDM ordered them to execute bonds of observing good conduct for six months with personal surety of Rs. 50,000.
Prominent local politicians who have been served a notice include Congress leader Raj Kumar Sharma and his son Mohit Sharma. Sharma is a delegate of the district unit to the Pradesh Congress Committee while Mohit is the state general secretary of the Youth Congress.
“Only yesterday, I issued a press statement that the BJP was organising Amit Shah’s rally in a shed in the grain market with a capacity of 7,000 and was claiming that lakhs of people will attend the event. Today, we have received these notices asking us to appear before the SDM on Friday,” Sharma said to ThePrint Thursday.
He alleged that earlier, when Khattar held Jan Samvad in Sirsa, he was virtually kept under house arrest throughout the day.
Ashok Tanwar, former Sirsa MP and chairman of the campaign committee for AAP, alleged that many of his party workers received such notices.
“There is a lot of resentment against the BJP-JJP government among people at the grassroots level. This was evident during Khattar’s Jan Samvad at Sirsa last month. Instead of addressing grievances and fulfilling their promises, the BJP is resorting to oppressive means,” he said.
While BJP MP from Sirsa, Sunita Duggal, refused to comment, calling it a law and order issue, she said, “It is a matter of pride and privilege for us that Amit Shah has selected Sirsa for his first rally in Haryana this year…he is kind enough to have decided to start his campaign here. The rally will be a huge success.”
(Edited by Smriti Sinha)
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