Civil Lines area turns into fortress

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, October 20

The Civil Lines area was turned into a fortress to keep Sikh preacher Baljit Singh Daduwal’s supporters away from Civil Lines Club on Sunday. A large number of police personnel were deployed outside the club.

Sikh preacher Daduwal had announced that he would participate in an event to celebrate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev at the Civil Lines Club ground on October 20 despite the fact that the district administration had imposed Section145 in the Civil Lines area.

The Bathinda police had also taken Daduwal into preventive custody two days ago. On Saturday night, the police had conducted raids to detain his supporters.

It is learnt that the police conducted raids on the places of Daduwal supporters, including SAD (Amritsar) senior leader and Kotshamir councillor Rajinder Singh and senior leader Manjit Singh Seera, on Saturday. The police also detained Gurpal Singh.

SAD leader Sarup Chand Singla on Sunday addressed a press conference. Talking to mediapersons, he said, “Daduwal, who is a Congress agent, is trying to grab the Civil Lines Club. It will not be tolerated at any cost. First, the Congress tried to open its office here and later, it brought Daduwal.”

Speaking on police deployment, Singla said, “It is an unannounced curfew to create fear among city residents. We condemn it.” Terming Daduwal’s detention a merely drama, Singla said, “If he had fear of the state government, he would not have entered the Bathinda city.”

Singla said, “SAD leaders headed by Sikander Singh Maluka had held a meeting with party senior leadership on the issue of Civil Lines Club. The SAD condemns the move and the party will go to any extent to save Civil Lines Club as it is a public property. The state government should register a case against Daduwal and hand over the club to its members.”