Distressed man hurls shoe at CM - Says corrupt leaders denying jobs to deserving candidates
Sunday, 17/08/2014
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140817/punjab.htm#2
Khanna : A resident of Dhanoula in Barnala, Vikram, today hurled a shoe at Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal while the latter was addressing a function at Issru village near Khanna. The shoe fell short of the podium where the Chief Minister was standing.
The function was held in the memory of freedom fighter Karnail Singh Issru.
The police nabbed the accused, aged around 34, soon after the incident and took him away. Vikram was sitting in the fourth row. He raised slogans such as "inqlab zindabad" as he was being thrashed by the security guard. Interestingly, the Chief Minister continued his address all this while.
Later talking to mediapersons, Vikram alleged Punjab's youth were fed up with the corruption in the state. He said he had supported the Aam Aadmi Party in the recently parliamentary elections. He alleged police atrocities on unemployed youth during their protests in support of their genuine demands had left him dejected.
The accused said there was no communal angle to his action and that he had only expressed resentment of the state's unemployed youth towards the government. He said deserving candidates were being denied jobs due to "influence of corrupt politicians" on selection panels.
Vikram said he had studies till class XII, but had no job. He compared his action with that of Shaheed Bhagat Singh as he said his aim was not to harm anyone but to raise his voice.
Badal, however, said he was not aware of any such incident, but added it was not possible for the government to give jobs to everyone in the public sector. He said he would direct the police to let the accused free.
