Cong workers lock down SDM’s office

Friday, 18/09/2015

http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/The_Tribune/

Khanna : A number of Congress workers of Khanna along with MGNREGS workers today stormed Tehsil Complex and locked SDM Office. The protesters led by MLA Khanna Gurkirat Singh Kotli, MLA Samrala MLA Amrik Singh Dhillon, MLA Nabha Sadhu Singh Dharmsot, District Congress president Lakhvir Singh Lakha and Dr Gurmukh Singh Chahal, Punjab Youth Congress president Amarpreet Singh Lali marched in the city and reached Tehsil Comlex while raising slogans against state government. Although police was deployed in front of SDM office and barricades were put up but Congress workers after some scuffle broke the police cordon and locked the SDM Office.

Although the police had made tight security arrangements to stop agitating Congress workers but it failed to stop Congress workers as they were in large numbers.

In the mean time SDM Khanna Paramdeep Singh and ADC Khanna Ajay Sood which were inside the SDM office called the congress leaders for talks and took a memorandum from the Congress leaders. They assured that the pending dues of MGNREGS workers will be released in 20 days time.

In the mean time Dr. Gurmukh Singh Chahal who was on hunger strike from last seven days fainted in front of SDM office and Congress workers took him to Civil Hospital, Khanna. SDM Khanna reached at Civil Hospital and offered Dr Chahal juice. Later Dr Chahal along with other party leaders finished his hunger strike and he thanked all party workers for supporting his hunger strike for the cause of poor people of the area. ADC Khanna said he had assured the protesters that old-age pensions will be paid in four weeks. He said releasing of MGNREGS funds is not possible as these will be cleared only after the money is released by Union Government.

However, SDM Khanna said the funds of MNGREGS will be cleared in four weeks time. SDM Khanna also said his office was not locked and the Congress workers had only tried to lock his office although Congress workers had claimed that they have locked the office for about 15 minutes.

Former president of Municipal Council Khanna Iqbal Singh termed the action of Congress as politically motivated. He appealed the Congress workers to stage a dharna in front of office of MC Khanna as dengue is spreading and the MC had failed to take proper action.

Contradictory assurances
ADC Khanna said he had assured the protesters that old-age pensions will be paid in four weeks. He said releasing of MGNREGS funds is not possible as these will be cleared only after the money is released by Union Government. However, SDM Khanna said the funds of MNGREGS will be cleared in four weeks time. SDM Khanna also said his office was not locked and the Congress workers had only tried to lock his office although Congress workers had claimed that they have locked the office for about 15 minutes.