Sidhu, other Punjab Cong leaders held
MEERUT : Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, some cabinet ministers and MLAS of Punjab were taken into custody by police on Up-haryana border in Shahjahanpur when they were going to Lakhimpur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh to meet the kin of those killed in Sunday’s violence there on Thursday evening. Other Congress party members accompanying Sidhu were also taken into custody.
They were taken to Sarsawa Air Force station in Saharanpur while hundreds of protestors continued their protest at Shahjahanpur border where the police heavily barricaded the road to prevent their entry to UP.
Meanwhile, Haryana’s former CM Bhupendra Singh Hooda and party’s state chief Kumari Selja also tried to enter through border Town Kairana in district Shamli to go to Lakhimpur. Police stopped them and they returned after staying at border for over an hour. Speaking to media persons before his detention, Sidhu asked, “Why has the UP government not arrested Union Mos’s son Ashish Mishra who is an accused in the case of mowing down farmers? Is the
minister’s son above law?” Sidhu also accused the UP government of not taking action against those who ran over a group of farmers in Kheri. “You are teaching us law. Accused Mishra is roaming scot-free and you are stopping MLAS and MPS (from going to Kheri). We will not tolerate the dictatorship. We are soldiers of Rahul Gandhi,” Sidhu said.
Earlier, hundreds of protesters from Punjab led by cricketerturned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, some cabinet ministers and MLAS reached the border on Thursday evening.
Police had barricaded roads by placing tractor trollies, barricades to prevent them entering UP. The officials said only 5 people could be allowed as Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code had been enforced in Lakhimpur Kheri after the October 3 violence.