Congress leaders, including Indian Youth Congress chief and MlA Raja Amrinder Singh Warring and MlA Kuljit Nagra, were lathicharged on Saturday, and later arrested by the Ropar police while staging a peaceful protest against the SAD-BJP Government in Punjab. The police used mild lathi-charge on the Youth Congress activists and later took them to Kathgarh Police station.
“The ruling SAD-BJP government is taking ride on the tax-payers’ money for their promotion and that of their leaders,” alleged Warring, during the protest launched by Youth Congress workers at the newly constructed bridge near Arson, connecting Ropar to Balachaur. He blamed the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for playing with the tax-payers’ money and not throwing open this bridge to the common public when it is already completed.
“Why the Chief Minister is waiting for the inauguration ceremony to be done and VIP akali minister inaugurates it when the bridge is already completedIJ We will not let this happen and Youth Congress will fight for the rights of common man,” he said. He contended that the bridge, if thrown open, would facilitate a smooth movement of traffic between Ropar and Balachaur, people will not have to enter Ropar city and congestion in the city will also decrease. This will help in lesser commuting time also by the common people, he said.
Also questioning the Chief Minister regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit on June 19, he said why the state does not ask for special package for the farmers of Punjab who are facing the worst of times in agriculture. “Badal should demand package for the farmers’ debt, at least the interest part of the loan should be waived off immediately,” he said.