Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has formed a six-member action group to help the party workers, being oppressed by Congress party leaders.
Besides, it has decided to hold three ‘dharnas’ to force the government to release adequate power to farmers and immediate release of post-matric scholarship dues to dalit students.
“The decision was taken at a meeting of the party core committee held recently. The action group has been given the mandate to rush to aid party workers whenever needed,” said the SAD senior vice-president Daljit Singh Cheema.
He said that besides himself, the other members of the action group were Balwinder Singh Bhundur, Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra, Bibi Jagir Kaur, Gulzar Singh Ranike and Baldev Singh Mann. “The group would not only organize support for party workers if false cases were registered against them, but would also provide all needed legal aid to them,” he added.
Cheema said that it was also decided to hold three ‘dharnas’ at Moga on July 11, Gurdaspur on July 17, and Patiala on July 24, to demand adequate supply of power to farmers during the paddy season.He said that the farmers were not getting uninterrupted eight-hour power supply, and the “fluctuations in voltage are also damaging tubewell motors”.
“SAD would also highlight and demand the Government to review all wrong inflated power bills sent to poor consumers,” he said.
The dharnas will also demand immediate release of SC scholarship to all dalit students immediately besides asking the Government to ensure that no SC student was prevented from attending college or sitting for examinations because of the State’s failure to release scholarships to colleges, he said.