Protesters gain forte right outside Badal's pocket borough

Residents of Rai Ke Kalan, which is barely six km from Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal's pocket borough of Lambi, have pledged full support to people protesting against his government.

"Any person or organisation protesting against the government is welcome here. It is their right to raise voice against the injustice meted out to them. It is a movement," Jagvir Singh Sandhu, the senior vice president of the village committee, said.

"We do not support any political party. Any villager can vote for candidate of his choice or can support any political party. But we will not allow any atrocities on anyone ... We are united," Sandhu, also a member of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ughraha), said.
 

The village, having a population of 5,500, offers a safe haven to those who come to Lambi in Muktsar district to protest against the ruling Badal family.

When the protesters are prevented from entering the chief minister's ancestral village, the residents of Rai-Ke-Kalan come out in their support and provide them shelter and food.

In October last year, Suwidha centre employees, who were demanding that their services be regularised, were injured in clash with police who tried to stop them from entering the village of the Badals.

When the protesters, mostly women, rushed to Rai Ke Kalan to save themselves from police "brutality", the villagers warned security personnel of retaliation if they entered the village. The men in khaki stayed outside the village till they were called back.

Recalling the last year's incident, a villager, Jagtar Singh, said: "Around 600 Suwidha centre employees stayed in the village for a week. The villagers gave them food and milk."

"It has been decided that protesters will be given accommodation, food, other items of daily needs and will be protected from police," said another villager, Gurtaj Singh.

Gram panchayat members are part of the village committee which is elected every two years and its job is to help people in difficulty, he said.