Baghapurana police station gheraoed

MOGA: Scores of activists of farmer, labourer and youth organisations gheraoed the Baghapurana police station, 21 km from here, on Saturday, demanding that a case be registered against Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal with regard to the Moga incident under Section 304 of the IPC.

The protesters demanded that permits of Orbit Aviation and other transport companies owned by the Badals should be cancelled forthwith. The protesters raised anti-government slogans and announced that the gherao would continue till Sunday evening.

A joint action committee ( JAC) has been constituted by leaders of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Ugrahan), Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union (PKMU), Naujwan Bharat Sabha (NBS) and other farmer, student and labourer unions for protesting against the “goons hired” by private bus owners for “harassing” the passengers.

Addressing the gathering, leaders of the JAC said all private bus owners had around three “goons” deputed on each bus other than the driver and conductor. “They harass the passengers, including girls, students and women, on the pretext of checking tickets. Sometimes, the cops of Punjab Police also join this staff,” they alleged.

Joginder Singh Ugrahan, state president, and Sukhdev Singh Kokri, state general secretary of the BKU, cited the case of the Uber taxi service that was banned after the rape incident involving its driver in Delhi. They said it was the responsibility of the employer to check the credentials of the employees, and as such, Sukhbir Badal should be booked.