Dressed to the nines, and decked in their best wedding regalia, hundreds of guests who were headed to marriage halls opposite the Congress’ rally on Monday were forced to park their cars at a distance and walk to the venue.
Three marriage halls are located on Gill Road near the Grain Market where chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi addressed the burgeoning crowds. Political stalwarts including Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Navjot Singh Sidhu, Punjab Congress affairs in-charge Harish Chaudhary, cabinet ministers Manpreet Singh Badal and Bharat Bhushan Ashu, and MPs Amar Singh, Ravneet Singh Bittu and Mohammad Sadiq were in attendance at the rally, which was organised in the Atam Nagar constituency by Congress leader Kamaljit Singh Karwal.
Heavy traffic jams were witnessed near the rally ground and due to the security bubble around the venue. The guests were stopped at barricades and were allowed to enter after being verified by the cops. Only the vehicles of the grooms and brides were allowed to enter the marriage halls that too after thorough checking by the police.
The brother of one of the grooms said, “We never would have booked the venue, had we known about the rally. It is embarrassing for us to see the guests arriving at the wedding after walking a long distance in heals, lehenga, sarees and gowns. Besides, it is not safe for the women to walk long distances while wearing expensive jewels.”
{{/usCountry}}The brother of one of the grooms said, “We never would have booked the venue, had we known about the rally. It is embarrassing for us to see the guests arriving at the wedding after walking a long distance in heals, lehenga, sarees and gowns. Besides, it is not safe for the women to walk long distances while wearing expensive jewels.”
{{/usCountry}}Though valet parking was available, many had to park their cars themselves. Rishabh Arora, a guest, said the baratis could not even dance outside the venues due to heavy police deployment.
High drama at venue
High drama was seen at the venue after a minor scuffle broke out between the cops and the Congress councillors, including Ward 3 councillor Vipan Vinayak, as latter was denied entry from main pandal side, following which workers requested Captain Sandeep Sandhu to intervene.
The woman who had levelled rape alligations against LIP chief Simarjit Singh Bains also held a hoarding outside the rally venue. She accused the Congress of sheltering Bains and demanded his arrested. She alleged that the police had stopped her from entering the venue.