AAP ex-workers gherao Mann over Khaira row

Tribune News Service

Barnala, August 13

Peeved at the removal of Sukhpal Khaira as the Leader of Opposition, some former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) volunteers on Monday gheraoed MP Bhagwant Mann at Pandori village after the cremation of Kaka Singh, father of Mehal Kalan MLA Kulwant Singh Pandori.

After the cremation, when Mann sat in his vehicle to leave, some ex-volunteers, who had recently resigned from their positions to protest the removal of Khaira, started asking him to discuss with them issues due to which the party’s prospects were getting affected. Mann assured them that he would discuss all issues in the coming days.

“It’s really surprising that they did not care that I was there to attend the cremation of an MLA’s father. They started misbehaving with me, tried to snatch the weapon of my security guard and also pushed him. It all happened in the presence of the Mehal Kalan SHO, who also tried to stop them from misbehaving,” Bhagwant Mann told The Tribune.

Kulwant Singh Pandori alleged that some AAP leaders from Mehal Kalan had become “puppets” in the hands of disgruntled party leaders.

“Amandeep Singh, Nirmal Singh, Kaka Singh, Pargat Singh and Gagan and others tried to stop Mann. They were threatening me too. They have resigned from all party positions and now are trying to provoke people against me and the party,” alleged Pandori.

When contacted, Mehal Kalan Station House Officer (SHO) Shamsher Singh said he had called the security staff of Mann to the police station to record their statements.

“We will take legal action after recording their statements,” he said.

No rally at Issru: Khaira

• Chandigarh: The rebel group of eight AAP MLAs led by Sukhpal Khaira would be paying tributes to Goa Liberation movement martyr Karnail Singh Issru on August 15 at Issru village, but won’t hold any rally.
• The AAP state co-convener, Dr Balbir Singh, has already announced that the party will not hold a rally at Issru.
• Addressing the media on Monday, Khaira demanded action against Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim after the SIT reported his followers hand in sacrilege incidents.
• He said his group would hold a march from Bargari to Faridkot in solidarity with the Dhian Singh Mand-led protesters, who are seeking justice for Bargari firing victims. TNS