AAP draws huge crowd at Jor Mela, ruckus at SAD conference

Wednesday, 23/12/2015

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

Chamkaur Sahib : If the impressive gathering at a political conference during Shaheedi Jor Mela here was an indication towards the mood of the state’s people, it did not augur well for the ruling SAD-BJP alliance as well the Congress. While about 3,000 people gathered to listen to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, the attendance at the venue of the SAD conference remained below 300.

SAD leaders, including MP Prem Singh Chandumajra, cabinet minister Daljeet Singh Cheema and SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar avoided personal attacks on their political rivals. On the contrary, AAP leaders MP Bhagwant Mann, Sucha Singh Chhotepur and Durgesh Pathak did not leave any stone unturned in criticising Badals, BJP and Congress leader Captain Amarinder Singh, while addressing the jam-packed venue at the Sandhua road near the bus stand.

Mann flayed newly appointed PPCC president Captain Amarinder Singh, saying he had failed in raising issues related to public at national forum as he did not attend a single day of the last as well as the ongoing session of Parliament. On the other hand, AAP MPs had put up a record number of questions in Parliament, he claimed.

He said AAP would prepare its manifesto for the Assembly elections after consulting public. All programmes and resources of funds to develop the state would be explained before the public before the elections, he added. Commenting on the SAD-BJP government in the state, Mann said it did not fulfil any of the promises made to the people. Mann said Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal would address people during Maghi Mela on January 14 in Muktsar.

Meanwhile, at the SAD conference, a majority of the leaders confined themselves to speaking on religious issues and the importance of Jor Mela. MP Chandumajra, while referring to recent sacrilege incidents and unrest, said there was a conspiracy to harm the reputation of Sikh institutions including the Akal Takht and the SGPC.

Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha Charanjit Singh Channi, who reached to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Katalgarh Sahib, criticised the SAD-BJP alliance for pending projects in the town.

The SAD (1920), too, organised a political conference. Party supremo Ravi Inder Singh flayed the SAD for sacrilege incidents and said it had failed to bring the accused to book.

Khalistan supporters thrashed
SAD (Amritsar) workers, including Ranjit Singh Santhokhgarh, were thrashed by SAD supporters when they entered the venue of the latter’s conference and insisted on addressing the gathering from the stage. Apprehending trouble, the police also entered the hall and tried to persuade them to leave the spot. MP Chandumajra asked the SAD (Amritsar) workers to “go away”, which triggered heated arguments. Eventually, SAD supporters started hitting the “intruders”. Soon, the police whisked them away as they raised pro-Khalistan slogans. Later, nine of them were arrested under Sections 107 and 151 of the CrPC.