Opposition parties flay Punjab govt’s move to ban political gatherings

The Shiromani Akali Dal said the decision to ban all political gatherings was a direct fallout of the “resounding success” of its ‘Punjab Mangda Jawab’ rallies. The AAP said the ban was an attempt by the Congress government to derail the farmers’ agitation at the behest of the Centre.

The Opposition parties on Wednesday slammed the Punjab government over its decision to ban all political gatherings till April 30.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal during the Punjab Mangda Jawaab rally at Attari in Amritsar (HT photo)

The Shiromani Akali Dal said the decision to ban all political gatherings was a direct fallout of the “resounding success” of its ‘Punjab Mangda Jawab’ rallies, adding that the Congress government had resorted to this step to prevent the “public anger from boiling over”.

In a statement, SAD spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema claimed the SAD rallies had been exposing chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s alleged false promises made to the people before last polls. “This has upset the plans of Prashant Kishore who has given the suggestion to ban public rallies to contain the damage being cause to the Congress,” said Cheema.

The Aaa Aadmi Party said the ban on political rallies is an attempt by the Congress government to derail the farmers’ agitation at the behest of the Centre. “When cases were at a peak last year, the CM was taking out tractor rallies with party leader Rahul Gandhi in Punjab. Now the opposition is getting tremendous public response and the Congress is losing ground, so he has announced a ban on political rallies,” said leader of opposition Harpal Singh Cheema.