Akali Dal deploys musclemen to counter protesters
Gurdeep Singh Mann
Tribune News Service
Maluka (Bathinda), June 2
The Shiromani Akali Dal has deployed a “defensive force” comprising its party activists in Rampura Phul to counter the protest by “Orbit Bus Kaand Virodhi Action Committee, Punjab”.
The action committee has been formed to pressure the Punjab Government to punish those responsible for the Moga incident in which a teenaged girl had died after allegedly being pushed off a moving bus. The bus belonged to Orbit transport company, which is owned among others by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal.
Around 200 members of the committee had decided to take out a protest march carrying an effigy of Sukhbir and then gherao the residence of Rampura Phul MLA and Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Sikandar Singh Maluka at his native Maluka village.
The Akali “musclemen” were in addition to the deployment of a heavy police posse to tackle the protesters. The police personnel were deployed at all entry points to Maluka village and in nearby Kothaguru village.
After initial arguments with a DSP, the protesters burnt Sukhbir’s effigy and staged a sit-in at the entry point of Kothaguru village.
Though Maluka could not be contacted as he was away to Bangalore, his son and Bathinda zila parishad chairman Gurpreet Maluka minced no words over the countering the protest. “Apart from SAD workers, village sarpanches, youth wing activists and other supporters of the party have arrived to counter the protesters,” said Gurpreet.
He claimed the step was taken to stop the protesters who had been trying to “blow the matter out of proportion”. “It is an issueless protest. When everything has been settled and the accused are cooling their heels behind bars, there should be no room left for such action. Such protests can affect the law and order situation,” he said.
Amritsar: Activists of various farmer organisations today staged a protest near the residences of Cabinet Ministers Gulzar Singh Ranike and Anil Joshi here. They sought cancellation of route permits issued to the Orbit Aviation and granting the same to the Punjab Roadways.
The activists converged on the Majitha road and marched towards Ranike’s residence, but the police stopped them at a distance. Subsequently, they headed towards Joshi’s residence where too the police didn’t allow them to move ahead.
They burnt effigies of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal.
Muktsar: Activists under the banner of the Orbit Bus Kaand Virodhi Action Committee today lodged a massive protest at Kheowali village, 2 km from the Badal village in Lambi block. The protesters burnt an effigy of Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal and sought his resignation.
The activists belonged to the Punjab Khet Mazddor Union, Pendu Mazdoor Union, Dehati Mazdoor Sabha, Democratic Employees’ Front, Bharati Kissan Union (Dakauda), Bharti Kissan Union (Ekta Ugrahan), Bharati Kissan Union (Krantikari), Technical Services Union, Punjab Roadways Union (Azaad), Punjab Student Union and Naujawan Bharat Sabha.
A large number cops were deployed at Lambi, Kheowali and Badal villages. Four activists managed to reach Badal village, but they were detained by the police.
Moga: Members of various trade unions and social organisations staged a protest against the SAD-BJP government outside the residence of Agriculture Minister Tota Singh to press for the registration of a case against Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal. They also demanded release of students who were arrested by the Faridkot police for allegedly damaging a private bus during a protest.
Earlier, hundreds of activists of the BKU (Ekta), Punjab Students’ Union, Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union, Naujawan Bharat Sabha and other organisations gathered at the new grain market and marched towards the residence of Tota Singh on the outskirts of the city.
Ludhiana: A protest was held in front of the office of Hira Singh Gabria. Activists took out a protest march from Partap Chowk to Gabria’s office and burnt an effigy of Sukhbir Badal. They sought action against Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal for giving a “false statement” in Parliament about the ownership of Orbit Aviation.
Tarn Taran: Workers of various organisations held a dharna in front of the residence of local MLA Harmit Singh Sandhu to protest the Moga molestation incident.
Jaspal Singh Chabal, leader of the organisations, demanded that a criminal case be registered against Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal for the Orbit bus incident. Other speakers alleged the law and order situation in the state had deteriorated and women were not feeling safe in private buses.
