Governor seeks report on attack on Punjab BJP chief's vehicle

Chandigarh, October 14

Punjab Governor V P Singh Badnore on Wednesday sought a report from the state chief secretary on the attack on the vehicle of Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma, whose security has been stepped up following the incident.

A delegation of BJP leaders on Wednesday called on the Governor and urged him to immediately look into the incident, even as Chief Minister Amarinder Singh accused the opposition party of making “provocative and inflammatory” statements to disturb the state’s law and order.

Sharma, whose vehicle was targeted by some unidentified miscreants carrying black flags at the Cholang toll plaza in Hoshiarpur district on Monday evening, had alleged that it was a “government-sponsored” attack.

The BJP leader, who was going to Pathankot from Jalandhar, escaped unhurt while his vehicle was damaged in the incident.

Additional security personnel have been provided for Sharma, police said, adding that some protesters belonging to farmers’ unions were behind the attack.

In a communiqué to the Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan, the governor expressed serious concern over the incident and sought “a complete report of the attack on the BJP leader at Hoshiarpur.”

He further said that “immediate action should be taken to book culprits and proceed against them as per law”.

All security arrangements should be made by the state government to ensure the safety and security of Ashwani Sharma and all other leaders across party lines, according to a statement.

The governor also directed the state government to take immediate action against miscreants who “gherao” political leaders and illegally restrict their movements.

The BJP delegation, which met Badnore, alleged that the Congress was responsible for the attacks on BJP workers and leaders.

“MLAs and ministers have been repeatedly making provocative statements that the BJP will not be able to enter villages in the state,” said Madan Mohan Mittal who was part of the BJP delegation along with senior leaders Manoranjan Kalia and Jeevan Kumar.

Hitting back at the BJP, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh slammed Sharma for making “rabble-rousing statements and baseless” accusations against the Punjab Congress.

The BJP’s Punjab unit president seemed bent on spreading “false propaganda” to promote the interests of his party, he alleged.

“Contrary to the falsehoods Sharma was trying to spread, the state government had been taking all steps to ensure the security of BJP leaders amid the farmers’ protests,” he added.

Several farmer bodies supported by the Congress, Akalis and other parties have been protesting in Punjab against the new farm laws enacted by the BJP-led central government.

After the incident of October 12, Ashwani Sharma’s security had been beefed up, and a total of 16 Punjab Police security personnel, including commandoes, are deployed with him currently, the chief minister added.

Meanwhile, Director-General of Police Dinkar Gupta said Sharma’s motorcade was blocked by around 25 protestors belonging to different farmer unions.

“After 15-18 seconds of protest, both the vehicles, which kept moving during this time, were allowed to go, but one of the protestors hit and broke the rear windscreen of the vehicle with a wooden flagstick,” he said.

A side glass window of the vehicle was also damaged, the DGP said.

The security men, who were accompanying Sharma at the time of the incident, immediately got off their vehicles and escorted the BJP Punjab chief to safety.

A criminal case under relevant sections of law has been registered against the protestors, he said. — PTI

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