A number of khap panchayats today announced their support to residents of Chanot village in Hansi, who have been protesting for a water connection from the Bhakra pipeline.
Around 20 representatives of several khap panchayats reached the dharna site and urged the state government to resolve the issue without delay.
Terming the villagers’ agitation justified, they said it was no longer confined to Chanot village alone as people from several khap panchayats and other areas were also standing firm with the protesters.
Roghi Khap pradhan Sumer Singh said khap panchayats from the region had extended their support to the agitation. “The state government’s role had remained under suspicion from the beginning, claiming that the connection was initially installed but later removed by the police forcibly,” he said, adding that a person identified as Somesh, who claimed to be a representative of the state government, got the T-joint fitted on the pipeline a week ago.
Though the district administration not only removed the T-joint, it also used force on the villagers and registered criminal cases against protesters who have been holding the dharna in a peaceful manner for the past 45 days.
Sumer also questioned the intention of the district authorities asking where was the proposed separate pipeline.
The leaders said if the issue was not resolved soon, khap panchayats from across Haryana and other states would also be invited to join the agitation. Residents of Chanot village had started their protest on May 16, demanding water supply from the Bhakra pipeline which was laid to fetch water for Hansi town.
