Authorities try to keep protesters away from venue of Punjab CM's rally

Mahesh Sharma

Payal, December 9

The administration acted smartly by keeping away those people from the venue of the Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi’s rally who had intended to get their grievances redressed by meeting him personally or through memoranda.

However, some residents dodged the organisers and succeeded in drawing the attention of the Chief Minister by interrupting his speech at the main venue here today.

Being denied to reach the venue, activists of the ASHA Workers Union, led by Harpreet Kaur Bhathal, National Health Mission, led by Jaswinder Singh Deol, and Disabled Persons Welfare Union, led by Gurdeep Singh Rohnon, organised took out rallies at Payal Civil Hospital, while a woman, Baljit Kaur, from Mehdipur village lodged her complaint by interrupting the Chief Minister during his speech when he claimed that bills worth Rs 1,500 crores had been waived off by the state government.

Baljit Kaur was later allowed to meet the Chief Minister, who after coming to know that her electricity supply had been disconnected following an alleged theft case, advised Deputy Commissioner Varinder Sharma to get the case resolved sympathetically. However, the Chief Minister cautioned the woman against adopting unfair means to avoid power bills.

Condemning the organisers for allegedly keeping genuine complainants away from the Chief Minister, president of the Lok Jagao Manch Gurdeep Singh Kaali alleged that the government had failed to comprehend real problems being faced by the people, including small and marginal farmers, farm labourers and small traders.

Channi, instead of losing his cool, tried to pacify the protesters by accepting their memoranda and meeting other people who were coming to him. He lamented that leaders of rival parties had tried to implant their activists in the rally to discourage local leaders.

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