The Hindu : Other States / Rajasthan News : Rajasthan towns peaceful

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 10, 2004

Other States

Other States - Rajasthan

Rajasthan towns peaceful

By Our Special Correspondent

JAIPUR, DEC. 9. North-west Rajasthan remained peaceful today as a vast gathering of farmers cremated the body of Hazoor Singh, who was killed on Monday last allegedly in police action, in his native village, 23 B.D., in Bikaner district. Thousands of villagers turned up at the funeral, which took place three days after the death as the farmers had earlier refused to dispose of the body without an assurance from the State Government on the relief package to the family of the victim.

The funeral was attended by Sant Lekha Singh, president of the Kisan Mazdoor Vyapari Sangarsh Samiti, which is spearheading the agitation of farmers in the area for canal water, the Leader of the Opposition, B.D.Kalla, the former MP and Kisan Sabha leader, Sheopath Singh and local MLA, Virendra Beniwal. Sheopath Singh on the occasion announced that a statue of Hazoor Singh would be erected near the road in 17 KYD village near Kajuwala town where he was killed when farmers clashed with the police.

Following the settlement on the disposal of the body, Kajuwala limped back to normally. Curfew was relaxed in the town from 2 PM to 9 PM while the other curfew- bound towns, Rawala, Ghadsana and Anupgarh in Sriganganagar district had relaxation from 4 PM to 6 PM. However, the farmers' protests spread to other areas as Sangaria town in Hanumangarh district observed a bandh today while the neighbouring Pilibanga had a "maha padav''(siege) by farmers. The Congress party has announced holding dharnas in the district towns of Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh on the Human Rights Day tomorrow to protest against the arrest of three farmers leaders under the National Security Act.

Various activist organizations, including the Rajasthan University Women's Association, All India Democratic Women's Association, Rajasthan's Progressive Women's Federation and Rajasthan People's Union for Civil Liberties have announced a dharna at Bari Chauper in Jaipur tomorrow to protest against the arrests under the NSA and the suppression of the farmers' movement.

Meanwhile in a statement from Jodhpur today, the Bharatiya Janata Party State president, Lalit Kishore Chaturvedi, blamed the United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre and the Congress Government in Punjab for the present impasse on the Ravi-Beas water front. Mr.Chaturvedi, who held the successive Congress Governments responsible for the injustice meted out to Rajasthan in the past in the sharing of inter-State river waters, alleged the Congress leadership of not supporting the cause of Rajasthan in the present crisis.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Other States

News Update

Stories in this Section

Rajasthan towns peaceful