Agitation in Punjab continues as Sukhbir calls off kabaddi cup

SIKHS PROTESTING against the incidents of desecration of ‘birs’ of Guru Granth Sahib continued their agitation with road blocks in Punjab on Tuesday. The Centre has agreed to send extra police forces on demand from the state, while Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal has cancelled the World Kabaddi Cup.

Traffic at PAP Chowk in Jalandhar, closed since Monday, was restored by Tuesday afternoon. Tribune photo

Tribune News Service

SIKHS PROTESTING against the incidents of desecration of ‘birs’ of Guru Granth Sahib continued their agitation with road blocks in Punjab on Tuesday.

The following are the inputs received from various parts of Punjab as the day started:

Chandigarh: The Punjab government has demanded 25 companies of paramilitary forces from the Centre, which has been accepted by the Union Ministry of Home. The additional forces are likely to be stationed in major towns, including Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Bathinda. These will be activated in coordination with the state police only if the situation goes out of control.

(Tribune editorial: Mr Badal has to own up)

Chandigarh: Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday announced cancellation of the sixth edition of the World Kabaddi Cup scheduled to be held all over the state from November 14 to 28. Sukhbir Badal, who also holds the Sports portfolio along with Home, said he had taken the decision to cancel the Kabaddi Cup as a "mark of grief over the recent incidents of sacrilege of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji". Badal said: “My feelings too have been outraged and my conscience is not allowing me to preside over a tournament at a time when the Sikh community in India and all over the world is in grief over the ghastly acts of sacrilege”.

Phagwara: Mohan Lal, former SAD MLA and son of ex-BJP minister Swarna Ram, has resigned from the Punjab Public Service Commission in protest against the desecration of 'birs' of Guru Granth Sahib.

Jalandhar: Roads blocked at PAP Chowk connecting Jalandhar with Amritsar, Pathankot and Phagwara since Monday evening were opened by Tuesday afternoon. Tension prevails in markets since Monday’s stone pelting incident. All schools closed till October 25. As Sikh activists were forcing shops to close at Basti Mithu for the sixth consecutive day, five youths were rounded up by the police. Anti-riot police remained deployed in markets.

Bathinda: Sacrilege incident in which pages of Guru Granth Sahib were found in streets of Gurusar village in Bathinda district.

Muktsar: All main roads blocked in district. Protests going on at Kothe Chet Singh village on Muktsar-Bathinda road, Badhai village on Muktsar-Jalalabad road, Abul Khurana village on Malout-Lambi road, Baam village on Muktsar-Panniwala road, Kheowali on Malout-Badal road, Rupana village on Muktsar-Malout road, Jandwala village on Malout-Bathinda road and Malout chowk in Malout town.

Moga: Protests continued at seven locations in Moga district. Major highways blocked.

Ludhiana: Residents of Ghawaddi village assaulted Balwinder Kaur, who is suspected of having played a role in desecration of Guru Granth Sahib Bir, when she was taken to the village Gurdwara to recreate the crime scene. Policemen led by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Gurpreet Kaur Purewal rescued her.