SAD’s workers and senior leaders, collected under the slogan of Punjab Mangda Jawab, faced water cannons and courted arrest in an attempt to gherao Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Friday, while asking the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to tell Punjabis why he had betrayed each and every section of society by failing to implement even one of the promises made to the people.
In a massive show of strength, the party chief Sukhbir Badal virtually sounded the poll bugle by making huge promises of not implementing the agri laws once voted to power in Punjab, besides halving urban power bills, giving free education to SC and BC students, providing MSP for vegetables and fruits, and cemented roads, drains and potable water for all 12,000 villages in the State.
Sukhbir, who also courted arrest in solidarity with Punjabis, also announced a ‘Lok Lehar’ against the Congress Govt from March 12 during the course of which rallies will be held in all constituencies.
“The Chief Minister has not only insulted the people but also the holy Gutka Sahib by taking a false oath that he would implement a complete farm loan waiver once voted to power besides a host of other promises including eradicating drugs within four weeks, ensuring jobs to each household, giving unemployment allowance of Rs 2,500 to youth, increasing the old age pension toRs 2,500 per month and increasing the Shagun outlay to Rs 51,000 besides providing free houses to the houseless,” said Sukhbir while addressing the gathering at Chandigarh’s Sector 25 rally ground.
The police, by using water cannons, foiled the party’s plans to gherao the Vidhan Sabha in protest against the State Government for its alleged failure in honour its poll promises.
Police took Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and other senior leaders to the Sector 17 police station in a bus and put them in preventive custody. They were released later.