On way to Fazilka, BJP leader Vijay Sampla gheraoed

Tribune Reporters

Muktsar/Fazilka, October 15

Three days after BJP state president Ashwani Sharma was manhandled in Hoshiarpur, former Union Minister of State and senior BJP leader Vijay Sampla, along with some party leaders, was today gheraoed by some farmers protesting against the contentious laws in Maha Badhar village.

The BJP leadership, however, claimed that today’s road blockade was orchestrated by Congress leaders. In protest, Sampla and other leaders started a parallel protest on the road, barely a few metres from the farmers’ protest, terming them anti-Dalit. Later, the police took Sampla and others into preventive custody as the situation was turning grim with the increasing number of farmers and both BJP activists and farmers raising slogans.

Sampla, said, “The protest was led by a Youth Congress leader. He, along with others, blocked our way. When we objected and started a parallel protest on the road, seeking a way to go ahead to meet a Dalit youth’s family, a police party arrived and took us into custody. We were not even told where were we being taken too.”

Later, the local BJP leaders were released at the boundary of Muktsar and Faridkot. However, Sampla, his nephew Robin and Sheetal Angural were then taken into custody by the Faridkot police. Kulwant Rai, SP (PBI), Muktsar, said, “Some BJP leaders were simply moved out of the district in a police vehicle. They were not ready to budge from their demand that they would go ahead either by car or on foot. The action was taken to maintain law and order in the district. No legal action is being taken against anyone.” Sampla was released later and he came back to Hoshiarpur.

BJP activists across Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur and Phagwara raised slogans and burnt effigies of the CM in protest against the incident. Sampla demanded arrest of the perpetrators in the Fazilka case. SSP Harjeet Singh said charges under the SC/ST Act had already been added to the FIR.