Ban? Dhuri MLA ‘appoints’ truck union chief

SANGRUR : More than three months after the state government notified the Punjab Goods Carriages (Regulation and Prevention of Cartelisation Rules), 2017, banning truck unions, Dhuri Congress MLA Dalvir Singh Goldy ‘appointed’ Jagjit Singh as the new president of the 904-member Dhuri Truck Union on Saturday.

In protest against the appointment, members of opposition parties, led by ex-minister Surinder Singh, Aam Aadmi Party Dirba MLA Harpal Singh Cheema blocked the Sangrur-Dhuri state highway for around three hours in the afternoon.

They lifted the blockade only after the police assured them of democratic elections.

Surinder alleged, “MLA Goldy’s kin brought the new president, Jagjit, to the truck union office under police protection. Other operators opposed his appointment, but the police thrashed them and did not register any complaint.”

Dirba MLA said, “The government has announced a ban on truck unions and yet is imposing its men in these organisations.”

Police claimed that Jagjit had been elected on Friday and only a formal announcement was to be made on Saturday.

“Around 15 people created chaos. I informed the Dhuri SDM and acted on directions of the duty magistrate,” said deputy superintendent of police Akashdeep Singh Aulakh.

“Jagjit is not the legal president of the union. SDM Dhuri has called both groups to resolve the issue on Monday,” the DSP added. Goldy denied the allegations. “The two groups had elected their president through a draw. Surinder wanted his son to be the president and is creating controversy,” he said.

OPPOSITION LED BY AAP DIRBA MLA HS CHEEMA BLOCKED SANGRURDHURI STATE HIGHWAY FOR THREE HOURS