Punjab: Transfer Patiala SSP over colonel assault, says Bajwa in assembly
Raising the issue, Bajwa said it was surprising that the government was protecting cops for thrashing a turbaned colonel in a Sikh majority state. “Those cops behaved more like animals. No one can be spared for such acts. Exemplary punishment for these erring officers is must,” said Bajwa
Haryana, not Punjab farmers, had blocked highways, says Pargat Singh

The Punjab assembly witnessed a fiery scene during zero hour of the Budget session with leader of Opposition Partap Bajwa demanding transfer of Patiala SSP Nanak Singh for “protecting” cops who allegedly assaulted a serving army colonel outside an eatery in Patiala district a few days ago.
Raising the issue, Bajwa said it was surprising that the government was protecting cops for thrashing a turbaned colonel in a Sikh majority state. “Those cops behaved more like animals. No one can be spared for such acts. Exemplary punishment for these erring officers is must,” said Bajwa while demanding a probe by a sitting or retired high court judge.
Bajwa said the conduct of Patiala SSP has been questioned in the past as well as he was transferred in 2022 because of communal clash in Patiala.
Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath, posted at Army Headquarters in New Delhi, and his son were assaulted reportedly by 12 policemen in Patiala recently over car parking dispute. The army officer had suffered severe injuries.
The zero hour also witnessed a heated exchange between speaker Kultar Sandhwan and Congress MLA Pargat Singh when the latter commented on an alleged statement by speaker. The speaker objected to Pargat’s remarks, terming it baseless. “I thought you know how to put your statements in right perspective. But you have proved me wrong,” said the speaker while abruptly asking Pargat to sit back on his seat.
Earlier, Pargat, while raising the issue of removing farmers from Shambhu and Khanauri protest sites, argued that AAP was creating economic losses for the state by blaming the farmers’ agitation. “It was Haryana, not the Punjab farmers, who had blocked the roads. Shaming farmers at the behest of BJP to polarise the border state is a misconception of the AAP government,” said Pargat.
He also said the AAP government did nothing for the business community.
ABOUT THE AUTHORRavinder VasudevaAssistant Editor with the Punjab Bureau of Hindustan Times, based in Chandigarh. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, I report on politics, governance, national security, law enforcement, elections, health and public policy, with a special focus on Punjab.Over the years, I have covered major political developments, policing, organised crime, anti-drug operations, and legislative affairs, delivering several exclusive and investigative reports. Having experience of covering Punjab with permanent postings at Bathinda, Patiala, Ludhiana and Jalandhar in various capacities before moving to Punjab Bureau in 2017. Headed Doaba Bureau for three years at Jalandhar.Before joining the Hindustan Times in Punjab worked as a stringer in journalist in Himachal Pradesh, building extensive experience in grassroots reporting. Hold postgraduate degrees in Journalism and Mass Communication from Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla.Read More

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