Transporters call off stir, but not before harrying commuters

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, May 16

Shiromani Akali Dal’s Gidderbaha constituency in charge Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon, who is considered close to Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal, today questioned the functioning of district administration and the state government.

His outburst came in the wake of registration of a molestation case against the conductor of a bus belonging to his New Deep Transport company.

He alleged that the administration was working under pressure. In a major embarrassment to the SAD-led state government, Dimpy compared the law and order situation in Punjab with that of Bihar.

Addressing the protesting staff of private buses here today, Dimpy said: “The administration is working under pressure. The police have registered a case against the bus conductor at the behest of higher-ups. If the situation remains similar, the state may again witness a situation like 1980.”

Dimpy is a co-owner of New Deep Transport. The case has been registered against the conductor for allegedly molesting two minor Dalit sisters on Wednesday.

He said: “I too have worked as a driver and even a conductor. I have firsthand experience about their plight. They have told me that the buses will not be plied till the case registered against the conductor is withdrawn. I will stand by them. The staff of buses owned by the Badal family and all private transporters are supporting us.”

The Akali leader said: “We have lodged a peaceful protest today by taking our buses off the road. If the case is not withdrawn, we will block all main highways tomorrow. It will be a complete Punjab bandh and the people will have to bear the brunt.”

He blamed the media for “irresponsible” reporting and said: “The media should investigate how this incident was planned by some politicians.”

He indirectly linked Indian Youth Congress president and Gidderbaha MLA Amrinder Singh Raja Warring with the incident, saying, “When the name of a Congress MLA is linked with drug peddlers, the official machinery first investigates the matter and then thinks about registering a case. But here, the case was registered without any investigation. The media should also question Warring why did he go to Faridkot to show sympathy with those who vandalised my bus.”

Life hit

Auto operators exploit passengers

Muktsar: Auto-rickshaw drivers and rickshaw-pullers reportedly charged three times more the regular fare from passengers, which added to their plight. The passengers were a harried lot. Rajni Bala, a commuter said: “I along with my kids have been waiting for the bus to travel to Malout to see my ailing mother, but not a single bus is plying. The situation is so tensed, but the police are rarely visible.”

Roadways staff seek security

Muktsar: Roadways employees resented the forcible stopping of their buses by private transporters. They first gathered at the bus stand and raised slogans against the alleged highhandedness of New Deep Transport staff. They blocked the Muktsar-Kotkapura road and demanded security so that they could ply their buses. Mehma Singh, president, Punjab Roadways Punbus Contractual Staff Union, said: “The administration is supporting the strike. We are asking them to give us security, but they are not ready to listen.”

Staff of Manpreet’s firm join protest

Staff of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal-owned Orbit Aviation and PPP chief Manpreet Badal-owned Raghu Raj Transport joined the protest of the private transporters. Manpreet could not be contacted, but Mandar SIngh, his firm’s manager, said: “Had we not joined the protest, we would still not be allowed to run our buses. So we decided not to ply out buses for a day.” Some operators who were not part of Bathinda Bus Union too were forced to join the protest. Similarly, PRTC buses were forcibly stopped.

Strike an act of hooliganism: Verka

Jalandhar: Raj Kumar Verka, Vice-Chairman of National SC Commission, said the protest held by politically-backed private bus operators today was an act of hooliganism. He accused the Punjab Police of standing as mute spectators while the movement of government-run buses was disrupted. Verka said the Transport Minister should have not have let the transporters throw the life of the common man out of gear. Verka wondered on whose orders the Punjab Roadways and PRTC buses were stopped. "If the protesting students in Faridkot can be booked for holding a protest, why have the private bus operators not been booked today?" he asked.