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With change of guard in Punjab, Sangrur becomes new venue for protests
Unemployed youth, farmers and employees’ unions in Punjab are carrying out protests in Sangrur to press for their demands
: Sangrur, the home district of chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, has become the new epicentre for protests by unemployed youth, farmers and employees’ unions in Punjab.
Before the AAP government, when congress was in power and Captain Amarinder Singh was the CM, Patiala had witnessed over 2000 protests. When Charanjit Singh Channi took over as the CM, the protests shifted to Kharar. Now, the protestors have started converging at Sangrur to press for their demands.
In the wake of protests, security has been beefed up in the district, especially near the residence of the chief minister. Water canons and other anti -riot machinery has been shifted to Sangrur to tackle any type of big protests in future.
Since the formation of the new government on March 16, a dozen small and big protests have taken place in Sangrur.
Seven unemployed youth climbed atop a water tank on Tuesday, while around 100 unemployed youth blocked Sangrur-Ludhiana road when the CM didn’t meet them. Both groups were demanding the completion of the process of recruitment of constables in Punjab Police.
The protestors said that they were recruited in Punjab police about six years ago, but their appointment letters were not issued.
“Before the elections, Bhagwant Mann used to come to our house to say that he will resolve our problem, now he didn’t have time to even meet,” said Navdeep Singh, a protestor.
Another protestor, Amandeep Kaur said that the recruitment for 7,416 posts was done in 2016. The case has been pending for the last six years.
She said that they are not allowed to join despite the recruitment process being completed and verification of applicants done.
She said that at the time of elections, Mann had assured that this issue will be resolved as soon as the government is formed.
The protesters said that they had staged a dharna in Sangrur on March 22 but they lifted it on the assurance that the CM will meet them at Chandigarh on March 28.
“When CM didn’t meet us, we decided to start the indefinite protest.” she said.
