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Qaumi Insaaf Morcha holds protests at 13 toll plazas in Punjab
The morcha is seeking the release of the Sikh prisoners, including Balwant Singh Rajoana, a convict in former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh’s assassination, claiming that they are lodged in different jails despite completing their sentences
: The Qaumi Insaaf Morcha, which has been demanding the release of the Sikh prisoners, on Saturday held protests at over a dozen toll plazas for three hours and forced the authorities not to charge any toll fee from the commuters.
The morcha is seeking the release of the Sikh prisoners, including Balwant Singh Rajoana, a convict in former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh’s assassination, claiming that they are lodged in different jails despite completing their sentences.
The protesters are also demanding justice in the 2015 sacrilege and police-firing incidents in Faridkot.
The agitators held protests at 13 toll plazas, including Ladhowal near Ludhiana, Azizpur in Patiala, Behram in Nawanshahr and Ferozeshah in Ferozepur.
In Ludhiana, a number of protesters, including members of Qaumi Insaaf Morcha, various farmers’ organisations and unions, staged a ‘dharna’ at the Ladhowal toll plaza on national highway 44 from 10 am to 2 pm. They asked the toll plaza employees to come out from their respective cabins and asked the commuters to move forward without paying any fee.
They raised slogans against the government over non-fulfilment of their demands.
The protesters warned that if their demands are not addressed, more protests and rallies will be organised in future demanding the release of Sikh prisoners.
Jaswant Singh Cheema, who was leading the protest, said, “Today’s protest dharnas at 13 toll plazas in Punjab is just a trailer and a warning to the government.” He claimed that a large number of Sikhs have completed their punishment, but they were still in different jails.
In Ferozepur, the protesters gathered at the toll plaza near Ferozeshah village on the Ferozepur-Ludhiana national highway.
With its demand for the release of the Sikh prisoners (’Bandi Singhs’), the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha has been laying a siege at the YPS chowk near the Mohali-Chandigarh border in Mohali since January 7, 2023.
