SAD leaders block national highway

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 8

As part of their state wide protest against Congress government for committing atrocities against Akali workers, former cabinet minister Gulzar Singh Ranike and former Akali MLA Malkeet Singh today staged a dharna at Beas road over bridge here today. The dharna led to the severe traffic jam at the Amritsar-Jalandhar national highway.

The commuters had a tough time as the dharna continued for several hours. Enraged over impasse, the people started raising slogans against them. The situation became tense and the police officials were seen appealing the people to remain calm besides persuading the Akalis to lift the dharna.

Later, the police moved the agitating Akali leaders and their supporters from the road and opened it for traffic. Akali leaders and their supporters blocked the national highway at around 11am. Former SGPC president and cabinet minister Bibi Jagir Kaur also staged a protest Dharna and obstructed the traffic coming from Dhilwan side this added the agony of the commuters and they started criticising SAD leaders.

SSP Amritsar rural Parampal Singh reached the spot with heavy police force and was seen persuading the Akali leaders to open the road bur the leaders and their supporters remained adamant. Perturbed with the long traffic jam, people started raising slogans against the Akali leaders and came face to face with the protesting Akali leaders and supporters. Sensing the gravity of the situation, police officials intervened and tried to convince the Akali leaders to lift the dharna. They were later forcibly moved from the road and traffic was opened.

Ranike, speaking on the occasion alleged, “Congress government were lodging false cases against Akali workers and also using force against the Akali workers who were raising their voice and concern over this.”

Acoording to a police official Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued a notice today to Punjab government and Shiromani Akali Dal on blockades on the roads. The High Court also asked the Punjab government to invoke section 144 to maintain Law and order. Parampal Singh said, “Nobody would be allowed to deteriorate law and order in the city at any cost.

Tarn Taran: The SAD workers led by Khemkaran former MLA Virsa Singh Valtoha staged a dharna on the newly built bridge at Kot Budha village, 45 Kilometers from here. Valtoha said the dharnas have been organised in protest against the irregularities and the repressive approach of the State government towards the SAD cadre to get undue benefit in the urban local body elections. The SAD workers remained at the dharna site the whole last night.