Khaira to protest against toll plazas

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, December 9

Member of the Punjab Legislative Assembly, Sukhpal Singh Khaira, today announced to stage a protest against the installation of a toll plaza at Ghuman Kalan village on the main road from Maur to Bhawanigarh.

Addressing a gathering at Maur, Khaira said it is a perfect example of how the rich loot the common man through the government. “We already have four toll plazas on the Bathinda-Sangrur-Zirakpur highway and people who can’t afford to pay the toll, go this way. But now, to benefit the companies, the government is installing another toll plaza at Ghuman Kalan,” he said.

Khaira termed this step of the state government as illegal and unconstitutional saying the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the Punjab government are installing two toll plazas at Maur Kanchian and Ghuman Kalan three years after the laying of the road.

He claimed it was totally wrong and said he wanted to complete his Insaaf March and asked MLA Jagdev Singh Kamalu to mobilise the people who would stage a huge protest after December 16 over the issue. Khaira also assured that these toll plazas would not be allowed to come up on this route.

On the second day of the Insaaf March, Sukhpal Singh Khaira along with Simarjit Singh Bains addressed various public meetings at Yatri, Maiserkhana, Maur, Ghuman Kalan, Sukha Singhwala, Bhai Desa and Bhaini Bagha villages.

Khaira claimed that both the SAD-BJP and the Congress had failed to live up to the expectations of the people and denied them justice, which has forced them to start this long Insaf March.

He also termed the atonement by Badals and SAD leadership at Akal Takht as drama. Khaira said they should make it clear clear that they were seeking pardon for looting people by creating a cable mafia, transport mafia, sand gravel mafia and despite knowing who is doing sacrilege incidents and not acting against them in the state.

Even LIP leader Simarjeet Singh Bains lashed out at the Badals and Capt Amarinder Singh over the sacrilege incidents and for failing to fulfill the promises made to the people during the elections despite around two years having passed.