Farmers gherao BJP leaders in hotel in Punjab's Phagwara

Bhartiya Kisan Union (Doaba) activists on Friday gheraoed local BJP leaders who had gathered at a hotel here to observe the birth anniversary of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, forcing them to slip out from the backdoor under police protection.

The protesters claimed that the hotel was owned by a BJP activist who also ran a company supplying cattle and chicken feed. They said they will boycott the company's products.

Led by Union's vice president Kirpal Singh Mussapur, a number of activists held a protest outside the hotel and gheraoed those BJP leaders and workers who had managed to get inside before farmers started their demonstration.

The protesters also did not allow several BJP activists, including Bharati Sharma, district president of BJP's Mahila Wing, to go inside the hotel, police said.

Those who had gone inside had to slip one by one from the hotel's backdoor under police protection in order to save themselves from the wrath of the protesters, police said.

They included BJP district and block presidents Rakesh Duggal and Paramjit Singh Pamma Chachoki and former Mayor Arun Khosla.

Mussapur alleged that BJP's programme and anti-farmers' propaganda were being done under the garb of Vajpayee Jayanti celebration.

He said 'kisans', 'mazdoors' (farm labours) and 'mulazams' (employees) will boycott the hotel and the company's products.

The protesters raised slogans against the Narendra Modi government and Union minister Som Parkash.

Protesters hoisted the BKU flag on a pole outside the hotel, warning it's owner that if the flag was removed or any BJP function was allowed at the hotel in future, farmers will 'gherao' both the hotel and the company along national highway.