1,500 cops stand guard for AAP rebels’ Bargari march

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People will come to join the march on their own and party leaders are not sending any buses to ferry them as is done by the Akalis and the Congress. SUKHPAL KHAIRA, AAP leader

FARIDKOT: Authorities have deployed around 1,500 cops, including four companies of the Rapid Action Force (RAF), at Kotkapura, from where rebel Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) faction, led by Sukhpal Singh Khaira, will take out a protest march to Bargari on Sunday.

They have been demanding action against those responsible for the police firing at Bargari and sacrilege incidents in the state in 2015.

Meanwhile, Khaira faction leaders, supported by Sikh radical organisations and parallel jathedars, are putting in all-out efforts to mobilise people for the protest march.

Faridkot senior superintendent of police (SSP) Raj Bachan Singh Sandhu said six superintendents of police (SPS) and 12 deputy superintendents of police (DSPS) have also been deployed to supervise security operations.

Police have also diverted routes to avoid clashes or faceoffs between supporters of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Congress, Aam Aadmi Party and Panthic organisations.

Besides, 30 check-posts have set up across the district to prevent face-offs between people going to attend the Congress rally in Lambi and SAD rally in Patiala on Sunday, Sandhu said.

AAP rebel leaders said the march will start from Kotkapura grain market at 10 am and culminate at the Bargari protest site, where Khaira and other speakers will address the gathering.

Khaira said people will be coming to join the march themselves and party leaders are not sending any buses to ferry them as is done by the Akalis and the Congress.

‘WE ARE RECEIVING GREAT RESPONSE’

Radical Sikh preacher Baljit Singh Daduwal said, “We are receiving tremendous response from the public for the march. I will also go to Kotkapura to offer ‘ardas’ before the start of the march.”

Kotkapura MLA Kultar Singh Sandhwan said that being a Sikh, it has been his moral duty to join the march.

Meanwhile, AAP leaders said they will not take part in the march to be organised by the Khaira group. They, however, confirmed that party’s Sikh MLAS from New Delhi will take part in the protest.

Leader of opposition in Punjab assembly Harpal Singh Cheema said chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh is not serious about taking action against those responsible for sacrilege incidents in the state.