Dy CM’s cavalcade inconveniences people

Shivani Bhakoo

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, November 28

Residents, including schoolchildren, their parents and commuters, had to face inconvenience and harassment at the hands of policemen in the city who had cordoned off the entire Ferozepur Road starting from the canal side to give a “smooth ride” to the cavalcade of the Deputy Chief Minister, Sukhbir Badal, which left for the Sadbhavna Rally in Moga from a hotel here today.

Till the time the Deputy Chief Minister left for Moga with his “VVIP Army brigade” at around 10:30 am, people were not allowed to enter the main Ferozepur Road.

Not only hundreds of commoners suffered on the Ferozepur Road, but also several students, teachers and employees working at various offices had to wait endlessly for buses at the local bus stand as around 10 per cent buses plied on the routes including Ludhiana-Samrala, Ludhiana-Sahnewal, Ludhiana-Lohgarh, Ludhiana- Hambran, etc. Most of the buses (both mini and district) were diverted to Moga to ferry ‘a large number of people’ for a “massive show of strength”.

Mridula Jain, a senior citizen, of Shingora Shawls, condemned the ruling party for being highly “autocratic”. Mridula said she had to scream at the policemen to let her go home in South City.

“For more than two hours, we were not clearly told the way. Finally, policemen asked us to wait till Sukhbir Badal leaves for Moga. Though I managed to reach home after arguing with a senior police official, hundreds of others had to face tough times as the police had cordoned off the entire Ferozpur Road for over three hours”, she rued.

Manpreet Kaur, a resident near Magnet Resorts, said she had to park her car 3 kms away at Rajguru Nagar to reach home at around 10 am. She went to drop her son at school in Sarabha Nagar.

The president of the Mini Bus Operators’ Association and general secretary of the Small Scale Bus Operators Association, JS Grewal, confirmed that most of the buses were “taken” to Moga today.

He said: “We cannot refuse to provide buses to the ruling party. At the same time, commuters suffered at the bus stand in the absence of sufficient buses today. Most of them had to go home disappointed as a few were buses going on several routes”.

People not allowed to enter main Ferozepur Road

Till the time, the Deputy Chief Minister left for Moga with his “VVIP Army brigade” at around 10:30 am, people were not allowed to enter the main Ferozepur Road.

Long wait for buses

Not only hundreds of commoners suffered on the Ferozepur Road, but also several students, teachers and employees working at various offices had to wait endlessly for buses at the local bus stand as around 10 per cent buses plied on the routes including Ludhiana-Samrala, Ludhiana-Sahnewal, Ludhiana-Lohgarh, Ludhiana- Hambran, etc.

Tough times

For more than two hours, we were not clearly told the way. Finally, policemen asked us to wait till Sukhbir Badal leaves for Moga. Though I managed to reach home after arguing with a senior police official, hundreds of other people had to face tough times as the police had cordoned off the entire Ferozepur Road for over three hours. — Mridula Jain, a senior citizen