Several khap panchayats have announced their support for residents of Chanot village in Hansi district, who have been protesting for a water connection from the Bhakra pipeline. Around 20 representatives of various khap panchayats arrived at the dharna site on Saturday and urged the state government to resolve the issue without delay.
Khap leaders label agitation justified
Terming the villagers' protest as justified, the leaders said the movement 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 stated that khap panchayats from the region had extended their support to the agitation.
Singh criticized the state government's role, saying it had remained under suspicion from the beginning. He claimed that a water connection was initially installed but later removed by the police forcibly. According to Singh, a person identified as Somesh, who claimed to be a representative of the state government, had fitted a T-joint on the pipeline a week ago. However, the district administration not only removed the T-joint but also used force against the villagers and registered criminal cases against protesters who have been holding the dharna peacefully for the past 45 days.
Threat of wider agitation
Sumer Singh questioned the intention of the district authorities, asking where the proposed separate pipeline was. The leaders warned that 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 began their protest on May 16, demanding water supply from the Bhakra pipeline, which was laid to fetch water for Hansi town.
