Nawanshahr Cong MLA, family allege assault, stage protest
Angad Singh Saini blames former Beas MLA Dimpa for attack
AMRITSAR : The Congress MLA from Nawanshahr segment Angad Singh Saini and his family members staged a protest outside Rohtak District Transport Co-operative Society Limited (RDTCSL) office near Bhandari Bridge in Amritsar on Monday. They were allegedly assaulted by a senior Congress leader and his two brothers.
Angad, his mother Guriqbal Kaur (former MLA) and two sisters Gursharan Kaur and Navdeep Kaur along with other supporters had come to Amritsar for voting in the election of RDTCSL.
As per deputy registrar (DR) of Amritsar cooperative society HS Walia, the election was necessitated after a dispute between Angad’s family and his uncle, also former member of Parliament Charanjit Singh Channi.
At around 12.15pm, Angad, his family members and supporters staged a protest and started raising slogans against Amritsar police and senior Congress leader and former MLA from Beas constituency Jasbir Singh Dimpa.
He said, “Me and my family members entered the polling booth and marked our attendance in the presence of assistant registrar (Ar)-cum-returning officer (RO) Gagandeep Kaur. After this, the RO told us to go outside the polling booth and we followed her instructions.”
“After sometime, I again entered the polling booth to check the number of members who had marked their attendance but Jasbir Singh Dimpa, his brothers Harmanbir Singh and Harshinder Singh Rajan were present with the RO. Dimpa and his brothers have no share in the society and as per law, they can’t even enter premises of polling booth. When I raised objection over Dimpa’s presence, Dimpa and his brother started manhandling me. They thrashed me. When my family came inside the polling booth, they also made an attack on my family.”
He alleged Dimpa wanted to capture the booth and forcibly take control of transport society. He said, “I had apprehension of Dimpa’s interference and had already written to police and civil administration for making adequate arrangements.”
Angad, who is the youngest MLA in Punjab assembly, his family and supporters, continued protest till 6pm. He demanded registering a case of disrupting election, trespassing and making assault against Dimpa and his two brothers.
Soon after knowing about the incident, commissioner of police (CP) SS Srivastava along with other senior police personnel reached the spot.
Srivastava said, “The election was organised by co-operative department. During the election a dispute erupted and election process was stopped. We are examining the facts and legal action will be taken after the written complaint.”
“I have also recorded the video of assault on me and my family by Dimpa. The video will be showed to Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh,” he added.
However, Angad didn’t show the alleged video to newsmen despite repeated requests.
Jasbir Singh Dimpa, however, denied charges and said, “It was Angad’s family dispute with his uncle Channi. Me and my brothers were not present at the polling booth. He is just accusing me as I have good relations with Channi.”