Sirsa not back to normal yet, question mark over rally

The Sirsa district administration in Haryana on Thursday said it was yet to decide on giving a final go ahead to the Haryana Janhit Congress’ (BL) December 2 rally as the situation was not completely normal after last week’s clash between followers of Dera Sacha Sauda and a group of Sikhs.

“We will have to take a view on it. We haven’t taken a final view,” Sirsa’s deputy commissioner Dr J Ganesan said. No doubt the situation in Sirsa has been peaceful during the past couple of days and normalcy was fast returning, but the decision whether the curfew will be completely lifted or not will be taken in a day or two, he said.

While day curfew has been relaxed in Sirsa, night curfew remains in force from 9 pm to 6 am after last week’s violence that left 12 people injured. There is heavy police and paramilitary presence to prevent any untoward event. Ganesan has also ordered that educational institutions should remain closed till tomorrow.

The rally by HJC on December 2 is to celebrate its foundation day, marking five years of the party’s existence.

Meanwhile, HJC president and MP from Hisar Kuldeep Bishnoi said the party had the requisite permissions to hold the rally, which it will do at all costs. “We have all the necessary permission to hold the rally. We have even started erecting tents. So far, nobody from the district administration has raised any objection. We even have the permission of landing of helicopters of senior leaders who will attend the rally,” he said, adding that many top leaders of HJC’s ally BJP, including Sushma Swaraj, will take part in the event.

“Moreover, the government and the deputy commissioner (Sirsa) himself have been claiming over the past two days that normalcy has returned in Sirsa. We will hold the rally at all costs,” Bishnoi said.

The party has been preparing for the rally for over a month and the venue was chosen as it is considered as a stronghold of the Chautala family, he said.

HJC has been wooing old supporters of founder Bhajan Lal, including senior Congress leader and former minister Mange Ram Gupta, who quit his party a few days back, to join the rally and make it a success.