Bambeli residents left high and dry

Rachna Khaira

Tribune News Service

Bambeli (Hoshiarpur), April 20

Most residents of Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Singh Sajjan’s ancestral village, Bambeli, didn’t get a chance to meet him as chaotic scenes were witnessed during his visit today.

Citing security reasons, the personnel accompanying Sajjan didn’t let him enter the pandal where the villagers had made arrangements to welcome him.

After getting down from the vehicle, Sajjan went to the village gurdwara to pay obeisance. He was presented wih a siropa by the head granthi. Later, he went to his ancestral home to meet relatives from across the state.

Speaking to The Tribune, Chanan Singh Dhillon, a local resident and a retired officer of the erstwhile Royal Indian Navy, said Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s tough stand on Sajjan had partly led to the chaos here.

SP (headquarters) Amrik Singh Powar said, “We had made adequate security arrangements for the public meeting, but the villagers, in their excitement to meet the minister, removed all barricades and went inside the meeting area.”

Sajjan’s father Kundan Singh and mother Vibha Rani apologised to the people and urged them to go back home.

The family also refused to meet leaders of hardline groups who had come to meet Sajjan, including Wassan Singh Zaffarwal and Bhai Mohkam Singh.

Touching gesture

Jalandhar: “I’m very proud of you all. Thanks for energising me.” This is what Harjit Singh Sajjan said on Thursday to the 60-odd inmates of Unique Home — an institution for abandoned girls — at Badshahpur village on the Nakodar Road near here. Sajjan spent about two hours at the Home run by the Bhai Ghanaiya Ji Charitable Trust, playing with the kids and clicking selfies with them. The minister reached the place about one-and-a-half hours ahead of schedule. He attended a cultural programme presented by the children. TNS

Inputs from Sanjiv Kumar Bakshi