Police on Friday foiled an attempt by a group of farmers to show black flags to Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar here during his 'Jan Ashirwad Yatra', officials said.
The farmers wanted to gherao Khattar and show him black flags at Madhosinghana village in Ellenabad assembly constituency. However, they were taken into preventive custody before the chief minister's arrival, the police said.
While being taken to the Ellenabad police station, the protesters raised slogans against Khattar and his government.
The farmers have been protesting for the past 35 days over water for irrigation not reaching the tail ends of the fields in Sirsa's Beharwala village, the protesters' leader, Karan Chadiwal, said.
He alleged that the state government has failed to deliver water for irrigation despite repeated assurances.
Addressing the public in Sirsa as part of the yatra, Khattar claimed his government has taken steps to ensure welfare of all sections of society, including farmers, traders, sportspersons and senior citizens.
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He said his government has ensured sufficient supply of electricity in villages and given compensation of Rs 700 crore to farmers in Sirsa alone on account of damage to cotton crop due to whitefly attack.
Khattar said the state government has waived interest and penalty on crop loans taken by farmers from cooperative banks.
This would benefit about 10 lakh farmers to the tune of Rs 4,750 crore, he added.
The chief minister said the state government has also implemented the 'Mukhyamantri Parivar Samridhi Yojana' under which poor people will be provided financial benefits of up to Rs 6,000 annually.
Khattar said opposition parties in the state have lost their ground due to the BJP's rising graph.
The opposition parties have been forced to change their party president or form alliance with other political parties, he said.
His comments came days after the Congress appointed former Union minister Kumari Selja as its state unit chief, replacing Ashok Tanwar, ahead of the upcoming assembly polls.
Khattar claimed people of the state are satisfied with his government.
Government jobs are being given on merit basis and this has sent out a positive message to the people, he said.
Polls in Haryana are due in October and Khattar is touring the state as part of his 'Jan Ashirwad Yatra', a public outreach programme, which was flagged off from Kalka on August 18 by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
The yatra will culminate on September 8 in Rohtak, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a rally.
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