PATIALA: Marching in solidarity with protesting Dalits, BJP’s Morinda unit chief
Jagdev Singh Bittu on Monday burnt the effigy of Prime Minister
Narendra Modi. He was accompanies by members of the Savidhan Bachao Sangharsh Committee (SBSC) at Vishwakarma Chowk in Ropar district. Shiromani Akali Dal councillor Mohan Lal Kala also joined him.
Bittu led the protest with the members of the SBSC that comprised protestors from various Dalit organizations, including Bazigar Cell, Valmiki Sabha and others from Morinda. Bittu’s wife is a former member of Morinda municipal council while he had contested the civic body election unsuccessfully.
He admitted to have burnt PM Modi’s effigy and said, “I belong to the scheduled caste community that has always faced suppression. The
BJP leaders here did not support us rather they moved against us. We have staged this protest by rising above the political parties. Even the leaders from other parties including the BSP and SAD, Communists and others extended their support to us.”
Ropar BJP chief
Yogesh Sood could not be contacted for comments.
Congress leaders under Ropar district chief president Vijay Sharma Tinku also staged a separate protest against the dilution of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The protest in the district remained peaceful and witnessed a complete shutdown. Shops and commercial establishments remained closed while residents stayed indoors. In the morning, a few shopkeepers were forced to shut down by the protestors. The shopkeepers alleged that police joined the protestors in getting the shops closed instead of protecting them.
Representaive image
