Police resort to lathi-charge on SAD workers (Jasbir Malhi/Sahil Walia)
The Chandigarh police lathicharged Shiromani Akali Dal supporters and used water cannons to disperse them after they broke the first layer of security to march towards Punjab Assembly to lodge their protest against the Congress government on the issue of farm loan waiver and to demand complete loan waiver as promised in the run-up to polls.
Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Vijay Sampla, who is also the state BJP president, received injuries on his left eye. Around 90 people, including Sampla, SAD president and former deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal, former ministers Bikram Singh Majithia, Gulzar Singh Ranike and Parminder Singh Dhindsa, were taken into preventive custody and taken to Sector 17 police station.
Sukhbir Singh Badal courts arrest while trying to march towards the state Assembly (Jasbir Malhi/Sahil Walia)
Later, all of them were released after informing the Vidhan Sabha Speaker. Supporters of Akali Dal earlier gathered at Rally Ground, Sector 25.
Addressing the rally, former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal said, “The Congress government has betrayed the people of Punjab, especially farmers. Many governments have successfully implemented loan waiver schemes. The Congress government can also do it. We provided a relief of Rs 60,000 crore to farmers by reimbursing the State utility for their tubewell bills.”
“It is a sin to say State coffers were empty,” he said. Sukhbir Badal, said, “We demand implementation of a complete Rs 90,000 crore loan waiver of all farmers, including for loans from nationalized and cooperative banks as well as private money lenders. This loan waiver scheme should also be extended to farm labourers and dalits. If this is not done, we will gherao Congress ministers in the next phase of our agitation to force the government to honour its complete loan waiver promise.”
An injured Vijay Sampla (above, right). (Jasbir Malhi/Sahil Walia)
Sampla, said, “The Congress government had not only exploited farmers but also the dalit community. The situation was such that even mid-day meals were not being served in government schools. SC students were not getting fee scholarships.”
DIG (UT) OP Mishra said, “Mild lathicharge and water cannons were used to control the unruly mob when it break the first layer of barricades and tried to cross the second layer.”