Day after challenging Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, BJP chief Sunil Jakhar leads protest in Abohar, detained

Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar led a massive protest on the Abohar-Sitto Gunno Road today — a day after the police cracked down on the party’s awareness camps at multiple locations under its outreach programme “BJP De Sewadar, Aa Gaye Tuhade Dwar” and detained party leaders and workers.

The move prompted Jakhar to challenge Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to arrest him for continuing the party’s initiative the next day.

Today, the police blocked the road at Kala Tibba Toll Plaza to prevent the movement to Raipura village. When hundreds of workers staged a dharna on the road and refused to disperse, the police detained Sunil Jakhar, his nephew and MLA Sandeep Jakhar, former minister Surjit Jyani and others and took them in separate vehicles to police stations.

The operation was supervised by Senior Superintendent of Police Gurmeet Singh and Sub Divisional Magistrate Krishan Pal Rajput.

In the buses, the party workers raised slogans such as “Punjab Government Murdabad” and “Sunil Jakhar Zindabad”.

On Thursday, BJP district president Sukhwinder Singh Kaka Kamboj and Balluana halqa incharge Vandana Sangwal were detained by the police when they tried to organise a camp in Raipura village. Both were released later when MLA Sandeep Jakhar and Mayor Vimal Thatai met the SSP and expressed their resentment.

Sunil Jakhar, calling it “hooliganism” of the Punjab Government, had warned Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann that he himself would go to Raipura village to hold a camp.

Today, the police converted Raipura village into a cantonment and thwarted an attempt to erect a tent for the camp, asserting that the administration had not given permission for such a programme.

Before leaving for Raipura from their Subhash Nagar house, the state BJP chief said that like Delhi, in Punjab too, the Aam Aadmi Party was likely to face defeat in the next elections. “Due to this, the Chief Minister and other leaders have panicked,” he alleged.

“The obstruction of camps for providing benefits of the Prime Minister's schemes is the government's mental bankruptcy and an axe to the interests of the common man,” he added.

Interacting with The Tribune, he alleged that the AAP government’s “highhandedness” reflected “Vinaash kale vipreet buddhi”, a proverb which means when the end draws near, egoistic people indulge in vain glory instead of being humble in evaluating their situation.

He said the government had failed to eliminate the drug menace, curb gangsters’ activities and betrayed millions of women who were promised Rs 1,000 assistance each month.