12 MLAs among 1,500 Akalis booked for blocking roads
SUKHBIR, MAJITHIA, TINU, KOHAR, RANIKE, CHANDUMAJRA AMONG THOSE AGAINST WHOM FIRs HAVE BEEN LODGED
CHANDIGARH: Police on Saturday booked more than 1,500 Akali leaders, including 12 sitting ML As, three MP sand 15 ex- ministers, for putting up blockades across the state over alleged attacks on party workers.
The move comes a day after police registered an FIR against SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and former minister Bikram Singh Ma ji thia who spent Thursday night on Harike Bridge demanding that the Congress government must withdraw the “false” cases registered against party leaders.
The sit-in and several other blockades by party leaders on key state and national highways had left thousands of commuters and commercial vehicles stranded.
Police said Akali leaders have been booked under sections 145 (joining or continuing in unlawful assembly), 148 (rioting), 283 (danger or obstruction in public way) and 431 (mischief by injury to public road, bridge) of the IPC and section 8B of National Highways Act-1956. As per a senior police official, the decision to register FIR was taken to give astern message to SAD leaders.
“Right to demonstrate has its means and ways. You can’ t block national highway for a single political tussle of a town,” said a DGP-rank officer.
On Friday, while hearing a petition against blockades, the Punjab and Haryana high court had asked the Congress government to ensure that nod ha rn a or protest is held in the state without permission of DCs till the civic body polls.
The MLAs who have been booked are Pawan Tinu, Ajit Singh Kohar, Baldev Khaira, G ur par tap Wad ala, N KS harm a, Rozy Bark kan di, SharanjitDhill on, DrSukhw ind erSuk hi, Di lr aj SinghBh under and H arin der pal Singh Chan du ma jr a and Lakhb ir Singh Lodhinangal.
MP sR anje et SinghB ra hmpu ra, P rem Singh Chan du ma jr a and Balwinder Bhunder and former ministers Bib i Jag irKa ur, To ta Singh,Surj it Sing hR akh ra, Bib iU pin derKa ur, So han Singh Thandal, Gulzar Singh Ranike have also been booked.
The names of at least 20 former SAD MLAs and 15 district presidents also figured in the FIRs.T he SAD termed registration of FIRs as political vendetta.
“Now herein the state a ruckus was created by our party workers. It was a peaceful demonstration and we have every right to holdsuchdh ar nasw hen this government is bent upon to kill the democracy by attacking our party workers,” said party MP from Anandpur Sahib Prem Singh Chandumajra.
“We are not scared. First the government accepted our demand and thereafter FI Rs were lodged against our leaders. We were ready to get arrested during the protest ,” said SAD spokesperson Daljit SinghChee ma.