Navjot Sidhu gives Congress’ ‘maun vrat’ in Amritsar over Lakhimpur Kheri violence a miss

Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu sent invites to media in protest against death of farmers in UP’s Lakhimpur Kheri

Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu on Monday skipped the “maun vrat” (a fast of silence) observed by party leaders outside the Amritsar railway station in protest against the Centre and the UP government for their alleged ‘inaction’ against the accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident.

Punjab Congress leaders during a ‘maun vrat’ protest against the Lakhimpur Kheri violence in Amritsar.

Party’s state working president Sukhwinder Singh Danny led the protest.

The programme was reportedly planned by Sidhu and an invite to the media was also sent by his personal assistant. The invite mentioned that Sidhu will be leading the demonstration.

However, the party leaders took part in the ‘maun vrat’.

Those who took part in the ‘maun vrat’ were Sidhu’s loyalists, including Amritsar south MLA Inderbir Singh Bolaria, Amritsar Improvement Trust chairman Damandeep Singh Uppal and councillors from Amritsar (East) segment that the former cricketer represents in the assembly.

The Congress leaders said Sidhu could not reach the city due to some reasons. He is on a trip to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu.

“The brutality shown by the son of a Union minister of state has shaken soul of everyone. Today, the Congress leadership gave a call to observe “maun vrat” across the state outside the offices of central departments for three hours to awaken the deaf and blind government,” said Danny while interacting with mediapersons.

Also present in the protest were Amritsar North MLA Sunil Dutti, district planning committee chairman Rajkanwalpreet Pal Singh Lucky, mayor Karamjit Singh Rintu and district Congress committee (urban) chief Jatinder Kaur Sonia.