Shameful phase for Punjab, says Bajwa
Sunday, 03/05/2015
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FATEHGARH SAHIB: With the Congress already having announced a ‘Rail Roko’ agitation to protest against the bungling in wheat procurement in the state, the horrific events in Moga over the past three days gave party workers added ammunition to ramp up their protest on Saturday and demand the resignation of deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal.
Punjab Congress chief Pratap Singh Bajwa leading the protest in Fatehgarh Sahib; (below) Patiala (urban) MLA Preneet Kaur during a candle march to protest against the Moga incident.
Scores of Congress workers led by Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief assembled near the Sirhind railway station and stopped the Paschim Express and two other trains at the Brahman Majra crossing adjacent to the Sirhind Railway junction for one hour 20 minutes. Workers climbed atop the train’s engine, unfurled banners and shouted slogans.
Bajwa said, “This is a shameful phase in Punjab. In Delhi, the licence of the cab operator owner was cancelled under similar circumstances, but here Orbit bus owner Sukhbir Singh Badal does not even face a case. The licence of the transport company should be cancelled and a case for causing death due to negligence be registered against Sukhbir.”
“The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has cheated farmers as all its promises have proved false. The government should give `25,000 per acre for crop damage and a bonus of `200 per quintal on wheat. Haryana has started giving compensation, while Punjab is yet pay farmers for procurement,” Bajwa added. “Badals had been alleging step-motherly treatment during the UPA rule, but now with the NDA government at the centre, what is the excuse for non-performance,” he added.
Bajwa added that the Congress would provide economic and political help to the family of the minor victim Arshdeep Kaur.
After the protest, Bajwa apologised to the commuters, “Farmers are crying across the state. We had no other way to send our message across to the state government,” he said.
Fatehgarh Sahib Congress MLA Kuljit Singh Nagra and Amloh MLA Kaka Randeep Singh also addressed the supporters. “The Congress will protest at the Orbit transport company office in Bathinda on May 3 and all of the company’s buses will be blocked in Mohali on May 4.”
Meanwhile, Sirhind railway station superintendent RP Sharma said the protests remained peaceful. “The Amritsar to Bandra Paschim Express and two goods trains were stopped,” he said.
‘CBI MUST INVESTIGATE MOGA CASE’
PATIALA: Former union minister and local MLA Preneet Kaur slammed the state government for harassing farmers in Punjab, while she protested in a Rail Roko agitation planned by the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. The former union minister also demanded a CBI probe into the alleged molestation and death of minor girl in Moga after being thrown out of an Orbit bus.
Hundreds of farmers led by the district Congress Committee gathered at Rajpura- Ambala Rail link to block rail traffic. The workers raised their slogans against the central and state Government for ignoring the rights of farmers and labourers.
“Farmers are harassed in even selling their produce in the market, even as labourers continue to cry for their genuine wages,” she said. The protest was led by district Congress president Hardyal Singh Kamboj.
“Harsimrat Kaur Badal runs a programme for the girl child, but in her state girls and women are not safe,” said Kambok referring to the alleged molestation and throwing off a girl from a bus owned by the Badals.”
