After being forced to cancel its much-hyped ‘Tiranga Yatra’ earlier this year amid fears of backlash from the farmers, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Haryana has decided to go ahead with the programme from August 1 to 14 ahead of the country's 74th Independence Day.
The saffron party has planned a mega show of nationalism and patriotism for a fortnight across 90 assembly constituencies in Haryana. From Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to Cabinet Ministers, MLAs to chairman of Boards and Corporations, all party leaders will lead these yatras in their respective assembly constituencies holding the Tricolour.
The programme could not be organized in August last year due to COVID-19 pandemic while this year in January, party leaders who announced to organize 'Tiranga Yatras' had to cancel it to avoid face off with farmers protesting against three central farm laws in Haryana.
BJP state chief OP Dhankar had on Wednesday held a meeting in Rohtak to chalk out a fortnight programme to make the party’s presence felt in the state.
In a series of directions issued to the party leaders, the BJP chief has directed them to ensure the presence of at least 2000 people at each such yatra to be organized in the state. The BJP cadre has been told to conduct the yatra either on foot, cycle, motorcycle, tractor or cars covering upto 15 km in each assembly constituency.
During the programme, the BJP leaders would pay homage to the sung and unsung freedom fighters and in the process connect with the people of their assembly constituency.
The decision to hold the yatra in all 90 assembly seats in Haryana has come at a time when the farmers have intensified their protest against the farm laws. The farmers’ protest has once again occupied the centre stage with the conduct of Kisan Sansad at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, parallel to the proceedings at Parliament everyday.
In the recent party meetings, the state BJP unit had decided to go ahead with their events despite strong protests of farmers against their leaders in Haryana. Eyeing upcoming elections to municipal bodies and Panchayati Raj Institution in Haryana, the BJP plans to augment its efforts to strengthen its connect with the grassroots.
“The Chief Minister will lead the yatra in his assembly constituency-Karnal and other constituencies as well. Similarly, Cabinet Ministers, MLAs, senior party leaders will hold the yatra in their Vidhan Sabha area. A target has been set to ensure presence of at least 2000 people, and simultaneously, either 1000 motorcycles/two-wheeler or 500 four-wheeler for these events in each assembly constituency,” said a senior BJP leader while talking to The Pioneer.
He said that the party leaders have been directed to cover upto 15 km during yatra and make their presence felt in their areas and connect with the general public. During these events, posters and photographs of martyrs will be displayed on vehicles and strict instructions have been given to participants to follow the flag code so that the Tricolour is not disrespected, the BJP leader said.
Through the fortnight campaign, the party aims to reach out to the general public in cities and villages besides instilling a sense of nationalism among the young generation and ensure that the national flag is hoisted at every house on Independence Day, he added.
Notably, the BJP leaders have been facing the wrath of farmers, who have not been allowing them to hold any event in the state since the past several months in the state.
On the other hand, the BJP has now upped the ante against the ongoing farmers' agitation with the Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and his cabinet colleagues terming the protest as “totally political” and claiming that only a handful of people are opposing the farm laws.
Khattar has also made it clear that his government will act strongly against those trying to disrupt law and order in the name of farmers’ protest and added that his government had earlier adopted a soft nature against farmers.
Hundreds of farmers from northern states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at three Delhi border points for over eight months now, demanding a repeal of the three agriculture reform laws enacted by the Centre in September last year. Farmers are protesting against Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.