Punjab BJP protests delay in unveiling of martyr’s statue

A day ahead of PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Chandigarh, the Punjab BJP today staged a protest over the delay in the unveiling of Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh’s statue at the Chandigarh international airport.

Punjab BJP vice-president Kewal Dhillon, along with former Jalandhar MP Shushil Rinku, leaders Subhash Sharma, Fateh Jung Bajwa, Vineet Joshi and district president Sanjiv Vashisht, started a march from the Airport Chowk. They claimed that people of Punjab would not tolerate this disrespect to the martyr and unveil the statue themselves.

Heavy police force, with trucks parked on the road, stopped the march. They protesters, wearing yellow turbans, were made to board a bus and taken away from the spot. They were arrested at the Mataur police station.

The unveiling of the statue has been delayed for the past six months for one reason or the other. It was first delayed due to the election code of conduct and then the state government machinery got busy with the bypoll.

The statue was scheduled to be unveiled by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on October 18 and after that on November 28.

Finally, the Punjab Chief Minister announced that Nishan-e-Inquilab Plaza would be dedicated to the public and the statue unveiled on December 4 at Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport, Mohali. Deputy Commissioner Aashika Jain today took stock of the ongoing preparations. Officials of the PWD and other departments were giving the finishing touches to the plaza.