New Delhi: Police on Tuesday used water cannon to disperse Shiromani Akali Dal and Bahujan Samaj Party leaders and workers who attempted a gherao of the residence of Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh at Mohali.
Several Akali leaders, including SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and Bikram Singh Majithia, were detained by police. Badal tweeted thrice during the day, with updates and missives to Captain Singh.
Courted arrest with hundreds of SAD & BSP workers while marching to CM @capt_amarinder‘s farmhouse near Chd to demand arrest of health min @BalbirSinghMLA for vaccine & fateh kit scams besides need to give market rate to farmers whose lands are acquired for highway projects.1/2 pic.twitter.com/8YFYQpiPPY
— Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal) June 15, 2021
Earlier thousands of SAD-BSP workers collected near @capt_amarinder’s farmhouse to wake the arrogant ‘raja’ from his slumber & demand justice for ppl of Punjab. SAD-BSP hv decided to make all Cong leaders accountable for corruption done by them once it forms the govt in 2022. 2/2 pic.twitter.com/6nlXcGwvEq
— Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal) June 15, 2021
.@capt_amarinder you can’t muzzle our voice.#CorruptionDaCaptain #SAD_BSP_Protest pic.twitter.com/mMxw5WEF1q
— Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal) June 15, 2021
Protesters raised slogans against the Congress-led government over several issues including irregularities in the purchase of Fateh kits and alleged diversion of COVID-19 vaccine doses to private hospitals.
It was the first joint protest of the SAD and BSP, days after both the parties announced an alliance for the 2022 Punjab assembly polls.
BSP state president Jasbir Singh Garhi was also present at the protest.
Police personnel were deployed in strength and multi-layered barricades were put up on the road leading to the chief minister’s residence at Siswan in Mohali.
PTI has reported that initially SAD and BSP protesters forced their way through the first layer of barricades. Police used water cannon when protesters tried to cross the second layer of barricades, according to PTI.
Turbans of several protesters were tossed aside as police used water cannon.
Mohali Senior Superintendent of Police Satinder Singh was also present at the spot.
Earlier, addressing the workers, SAD chief Badal slammed the state government over the issue of alleged irregularities in the purchase of Fateh kits and alleged diversion of vaccine doses to private hospitals.
Indian Express has reported that Badal had called for a criminal case to be registered against Punjab health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu for allegedly selling 80,000 out of the 100,000 vaccine doses received from the Centre “at a hefty profit to private hospitals and for also allowing the latter to charge the common man a further premium on the doses.”
A ‘Fateh kit’ contains a pulse oximeter, thermometer, face masks, a steamer, sanitiser, Vitamin-C and zinc tablets and some other medicines for COVID-19 patients.
(With PTI inputs)