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Farmer protest: 13 Congress workers including Youth Congress president booked, detained in Chandigarh
The activists wanted to gherao Haryana CM’s residence to protest against the use of water cannons and tear gas against Punjab farmers last week
The police have booked 13 Congress workers including president of Punjab Youth Congress Barinder Dhillon, after they jumped barricades trying to march to Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s home in Sector 3, Chandigarh, while protesting over the new farm laws.
The activists wanted to gherao Haryana CM’s residence to protest against the use of water cannons and tear gas against Punjab farmers last week when the Haryana Police had tried to stop them from entering the state during their “Delhi Chalo” march.
A case under Sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant), 269 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Indian Penal Code was registered. The Congress leaders were later released on bail.
The Chandigarh Police first used water cannons against the Congress workers at barricades; despite that some of them managed to reach closer to the CM’s official residence. Police in wake of the protest march had deployed personnel and sealed the roads leading to CM’s house.
The protesters had earlier gathered near the Chandigarh headquarters of Punjab Congress and raised slogans against the BJP government at the Centre and in Haryana, calling them “anti-farmer”.
Journalist injured
A TV journalist was injured after stones were pelted at journalists during a protest by Indian Youth Congress. Satender Chauhan, a deputy editor at Aaj Tak, suffered a head injury while covering the demonstration against Haryana CM in Sector 15.
Chief minister of Punjab Captain Amarinder Singh through a tweet condemned the attack on journalists by Youth Congress workers. “You’ve to lead by example and uphold the law,” the CM said in a tweet tagging Punjab Youth Congress’s Twitter handle.
Harsimrat Kaur Badal of the Shiromani Akali Dal also tweeted to condemn the “grievous attack” by Congress “hoodlums” on Chauhan: “@INCIndia has always used repression to crush Freedom of Press”, read a part of the tweet.
Press club condemns attack
The Chandigarh Press Club on Wednesday also condemned the attack on journalists who were covering the agitation when some of the Youth Congress workers started pelting stones on them, who were at the other corner of the road.
Chandigarh Press Club will be sending a representation to the UT police and to Punjab CM. “A protest will be held outside Punjab Vidhan Sabha on December 3 at 12 noon,” said Saurabh Duggal, secretary general, Chandigarh Press Club.
