Bishnoi stages day-long dharna in front of Hooda's home

Rohtak, Feb 23 (UNI) Suspended Congress member of Parliament (MP) Kuldeep Bishnoi today led Haryana Janhit Congress (Bhajan Lal) workers in staging a day-long dharna in the Baapu Park in front of Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda's residence here.

Thwarting all police attempts to prevent the dharna, Mr Bishnoi however, led HJC (BL) workers shouting slogans against the government succeeded in reaching Baapu Park where they staged a sit-in near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi to press their demand for special compensation package for the state farmers.

The police made unsuccessful attempts at two places to stop them.

Earlier, HJC (BL) workers, including some former ministers and MLAs were taken into custody by the police which also resorted to lathicharge to prevent the protesters from entering the dharna venue in the morning.

HJC (BL) chief Kuldep Bishoni later charged the Haryana Chief Minister with ''murder of democracy'' for attempts to thwart ''peaceful and non-violent dharna and fast'' for the cause of farmers.

Talking to newspersons, Mr Bishnoi alleged that the police resorted to lathicharge injuring peaceful protesters and also detained number of party workers.

Demanding a special package worth Rs 1,000 crore from the Centre for the state's farmers, Mr Bishnoi asked the state government to pay compensation at the rate of Rs 15,000 per acre to farmers whose standing crops were damaged due to the extreme cold.

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