The attack on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MlA Amarjit Singh Sandoa by alleged “sand mafia” on Thursday afternoon turned into a major political controversy by evening with both the Congress and the principal Opposition party training guns at each other.
The case, dotted with twists and turns, appeared to be close and shut matter in the morning with a video clip showing Sandoa and his gunmen being attacked near a riverbed. Senior party MlA and the leader of Opposition Sukhpal Khaira was quick enough to blame the Congress party for the attack.
Minutes after the attack, it was alleged that the attackers owe allegiance to the ruling Congress party who is also in race for the post of Ropar District Congress unit president. Hours later, Sandoa’s pictures went viral on the social media sitting along with his attacker Ajwinder Singh.
A video clip and a picture of a “written” hand note, by the main accused in the case Ajwinder Singh, was also doing rounds on the social media by the evening wherein he has alleged Sandoa of extorting money from him, and the scuffle ensued when he refused to pay him more money.
AAP MlA from Ropar entered into an altercation when he went with some of the media persons to the site where alleged illegal mining was being done using giant JCB machines. The MlA was reportedly beaten up mercilessly by “goons of the mining mafia”, and even removed his turban and beat up a gunman accompanying him. The goons reportedly misbehaved with media persons as well.
The MlA suffered serious injuries and was rushed to a local hospital for treatment, and was later referred to the PGI Chandigarh.
The incident comes at a time when illegal mining has virtually attained a status of a menace in Punjab. Only a day before, five forest guard officials received serious injuries, including two undergoing treatment at the PGI for head injuries, after they intercepted a tractor-trolley near Seonk village in Mohali.
Not being the first incident of such attacks on the government officials and employees, the Government finally decided to arm its staff members following the murderous attack on Saturday night on forest officials.
So far, the police has made three arrests in the case. The three relatives of Ajwinder Singh of Baihara village had been arrested, while Ajwinder and another accused, Bachittar Singh of Bhauwal village, had fled after the incident and were expected to be arrested soon.
Those arrested had been identified as Jaswinder Singh Goldy, Manjit Singh and Amarjit Singh, all residents of Baihara village. One XUV black vehicle and two 12 bore guns were seized from them.
CAPT SEEKS DETAIlED REPORT FROM RUPNAGAR DC
Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Thursday sought a detailed report from Rupnagar Deputy Commissioner into the assault on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MlA, allegedly by an illegal mining mafia.
Taking serious note of the incident, the Chief Minister made it clear that lawlessness would not be tolerated in the state under any circumstances, and asked the DC to ensure a free and fair probe to ascertain the facts of the matter.
Even as the police acted quickly to arrest three persons allegedly involved in the attack on Rupnagar MlA Amarjit Singh Sandoa, the Chief Minister asked the DGP to crack down on the remaining suspects and ensure their immediate arrest.
The two PSOs attached to the MlA have also come under the Chief Minister’s scanner for evidently failing to protect him. They have been transferred to the Police lines and the Chief Minister has directed the DGP to investigate their role in the entire episode.
Besides Sandoa, his gunman Head Constable Sukhdeep Singh was also injured in the attack which reportedly took place in the afternoon, said the spokesperson. They were taken to Civil Hospital Sri Anandpur Sahib, in Rupnagar district, from where Sandoa was referred to PGI Chandigarh for further check-up after he complained of chest pain.
AAP DEMANDS STRINGENT ACTION
Condemning the attack on its Ropar MlA Amarjit Singh Sandoa by mining mafia goons, aam aadmi party (AAP) on Thursday demanded stringent action.
Reacting to the incident, senior AAP leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia took to Twitter saying that mining mafia continues to rule Punjab under the government of Capt Amarinder Singh just as it did during the tenure of the Akali government.
Pointing that AAP MlAs were taking the mafia head on despite being in opposition, AAP state affairs in-charge Sisodia has urged the Chief Minister to act against the culprits.
Castigating Capt Amarinder “for his failure to reign in mining mafia in the state”, AAP MlA and the leader of Opposition in Vidhan Sabha Sukhpal Khaira said that the attack on MlA has totally exposed Capt Amarinder for his failure to control illegal mining in the state and it also shows that there is no rule of law in the state.
“If an MlA, who has been provided security by the government, can be attacked in broad daylight, one can imagine the plight of ordinary people or even officials who are facing the wrath of this mafia across the state,” he said.
Khaira said that the other day, mining mafia beat up forest officials in Kharar but the police acted like a mute spectator, although local MlA Kanwar Sandhu had brought this incident to the notice of Mohali administration.
“It is a litmus test of impartiality of Capt Amarinder as the Chief Minister, whether the government and police is here only to protect the Congress leaders and workers or they can ensure safety to the life and liberty of opposition leaders and ordinary citizens,” he said.
Khaira reminded the CM that he was very quick to act when a youth Congress leader of Dhuri was beaten up a couple of days back, where the SHO was suspended within the hours but will the CM now ensure strict action against the mining mafia goons who attacked elected representativeIJ
He demanded immediate registration of FIR under criminal sections, arrest of the guilty and also criminal action against those who abetting this goondaism. “Illegal mining in the state is not taking in place without active and tacit support of Congress leaders because of which Capt Amarinder took no action on six illegal mining khuds of Nawanshahar tweeted by him from his helicopter. Capt Amarinder pushed the matter below the carpet because all the said six khuds were connected to the Congress leaders,” he alleged.
SAD DEMANDS JUDICIAl INQUIRY
Condemning the attack on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MlA Amarjit Singh Sandoa during his visit to a village in Nurpur Bedi area, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Thursday demanded a judicial inquiry to understand the reason for the attack.
“The videographic evidence from the site revealed that the attackers were AAP supporters who were protesting against forced extortions from the AAP legislator,” said former minister Daljit Singh Cheema.
Cheema said that any incident of violence against an elected representative was condemnable, but there should be a judicial inquiry into the incident as there was a visible protest from those indulging in sand mining that the MlA was continuously extorting money from them.
“These persons have openly accused the MlA of asking for Rs five to Rs 10 lakh off and on while attacking him and thrashing his security personnel. These allegations are very serious in nature and should be verified immediately,” he said.
He added that the photographic evidence had also emerged that the person who led the attack, was an AAP supporter and former close friend of AAP MlA Sandoa.
“This person, who had been identified as Ajwinder Singh, had earlier garlanded Sandoa during 2017 assembly election campaign and also supported his candidature. Ajwinder and his supporters are also heard saying that they can’t give any more money to AAP MlA. Ajwinder has also issued a press note after the incident stating that he was an AAP volunteer and that Sandoa had been extorting money from him,” he said.
Stating that only an independent inquiry could lay bare the truth behind the case, he said it needed to be ascertained why a person, who had got overwhelming support from the people of the same village only one year back, was being thrashed in this manner. “Prim facia it appears that Sandoa has been extorting money from the sand mining mafia. But he should be given a chance to come clean and present his side of the case before the inquiry panel. Then only the people will come to know the truth behind the incident”, he added. EOM
MAFIA ATTACKS A TEllING COMMENT ON PUNJAB’S lAW AND ORDER SITUATION: BJP
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday said that the recent attacks on forest officers followed by attack on a MlA and the cops guarding him allegedly by mafia were a telling comment on the law and order situation in Punjab.
BJP national secretary Tarun Chugh said that the daylight attacks have exposed Congress Government’s patronage to the sand mafia. Only the Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues could explain why the mafia was being allowed to run its riot, he said.
“The attack on AAP MlA Amarjit Singh Sandoa and his security personnel has raised serious questions on government’s failure to protect even the lawmakers from the terror posed by the mafia which is enjoying a free run as the state was providing cover to it for the reasons known to people of Punjab, by now,” he said.
Chugh said that while the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh was claiming that his government has crushed the sand mafia, the unscrupulous elements were challenging his claims with a series of attacks on whosoever comes in their way.
“The mafia in Punjab has become so powerful that it was challenging the might of Police and the political authority of the government indicating that it wields more power than the state. This turn of events is very dangerous for the state,” Chugh said.
Chugh asked Capt Amarinder, and his Cabinet Ministers Navjot Singh Sidhu and Manpreet Badal and Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar to tell the people of Punjab as to who was supporting mafia to take on the power of the state.
“People want to know who was the force behind this mafia and what prevents Congress Government from acting against it,” he asked.
Chugh asked why the mining policy studied and recommended by Navjot Sidhu after his visit to Hyderabad was not implemented. The government must tell why the policy was rejected, he said.