New Delhi: In support of protesting wrestlers, farmers, and other issues, activists of some Khaps and farmers on Wednesday blocked the Rohtak-Delhi national highway in Jhajjar district as part of a 'Haryana Bandh.' Several vehicles were stranded on the road as a result of the blockade.
According to the news agency PTI, Ramesh Dalal, a senior leader of the Bhumi Bachao Sangharsh Samiti outfit, led the protesters who squatted on NH-9 in Bahadurgarh and imposed a blockade.
While speaking to the media, Dalal said that 25 demands had been raised, including justice for wrestlers protesting against outgoing Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, loan waiver for farmers, legal guarantee of crop MSP and enhanced compensation for land. One of the outfits that joined the bandh is the Bhumi Bachao Sangharsh Samiti that is fighting for the land rights of farmers.
Arpit Jain, the Jhajjar Superintendent of Police, told PTI that they were trying to persuade the protesters to lift the blockade. In Bahadurgarh and adjoining Rohtak, there was an additional deployment of police.
Later, Ramesh Dalal said that they would end the protest at 1:30 after Deputy Commissioner (DC) Jhajjar Shakti Singh told them that the government will hold talks with the protesters in the next three days over the 25 demands.
"Our demands include Sandeep Singh's resignation, Brij Bhushan's arrest, MSP guarantee and others", Dalal added.
However, in other parts of Haryana, the calls for the strike failed to evoke any response and life remained normal.
A meeting was held a few days prior to Wednesday's bandh which was convened by some Khaps backed by farmer outfits at the Mandothi toll plaza in Jhajjar where the strike call was given in support of the demands.
India's top wrestlers, including two Olympic medallists and a world champion, have been demanding action against the WFI chief, Brij Bhusan Sharan Singh, who has been accused of sexually harassing female grapplers.