Chandigarh, Sep 8 (PTI) Punjab Congress leaders and workers protesting against the “deteriorating” law and order situation and the drug menace in the state were stopped by Chandigarh Police when they attempted to head towards Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s official residence to gherao it on Tuesday.
A heavy deployment of police force repeatedly used water cannons to disperse the protesters.
Led by Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, the state unit workers and leaders burnt Mann’s effigy outside their office, criticising the Mann government over several issues, including the drug menace and worsening law and order.
Addressing a gathering of protesters, Warring alleged that the law and order situation has “collapsed” under the AAP regime.
He said the so-called ‘Sikhya Kranti’ of the AAP government has proven to be a “complete failure,” charging that there is a huge debt on the state, and criticised the state government for “heavy borrowings.” Lashing out at the AAP for inducting gangster-turned-politician Gupreet Singh Sekhon, Warring said that while the people of Punjab wanted to get rid of the gangsters, the ruling party was inducting them and providing them with a political platform and power.
He said Sekhon had been convicted and sentenced and was out just because the High Court had suspended his sentence.
“What message are you giving to people of Punjab?” he asked Mann.
Warring also condemned the chief minister’s approach towards the government employees by denying them their rightful dearness allowance (DA).
Not only was the government refusing them the DA, it was also treating them like its enemies, he said.
Warring also announced that very soon he will be showing and waving the black flags not in front of the chief minister, but right on his stage where he will be speaking.
Warring alleged that there was a secret understanding between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah on the one hand and Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann on the other.
He alleged that the BJP wants the AAP to help it in Gujarat by dividing the anti-BJP votes and in a quid pro quo, the BJP will help the AAP in Punjab.
Asserting his unfailing loyalty and commitment towards the Congress, Warring said that no matter what position he held, he will always remain with the party which had given him so much.
He told the workers that they must look forward towards the party and ensure that every Congress candidate who gets the party ticket wins so that Punjab gets rid of the corrupt and incompetent government.
Several party leaders, including Congress MP Gurjit Singh Aujla, former minister Balbir Singh Sidhu and former MLAs Rana KP Singh and Raj Kumar Verka, were present in the protest.
A heavy force was deployed by the Chandigarh Police to prevent the protesters from heading towards the CM residence to gherao it.
As the Congress leaders and workers carrying placards tried to breach barricades, police used water cannons multiple times to disperse the protesters. PTI CHS AMJ AMJ
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.