Congress protest : Chhabra, 10 others hurt as cops use water cannons

Eleven Congress workers, including city unit chief Pardeep Chhabra, were injured after the Chandigarh Police resorted to lathicharge and water cannons to disperse them during their demonstration near Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah’s rally venue here on Sunday.

Eleven Congress workers, including city unit chief Pardeep Chhabra, were injured after the Chandigarh Police resorted to lathicharge and water cannons to disperse them during their demonstration near Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah’s rally venue here on Sunday.

Cops stopping Congress workers from jumping over the barricades near the BJP rally venue in Sector 27, Chandigarh. (Ravi Kumar/ HT Photo)

Protesting against the BJP government for demonetisation, which they said has caused hardship to citizens, hundreds of party workers took out a rally from Sector 19 towards the Ramlila Ground, Sector 27, to oppose Shah’s visit, but were stopped at the Sector 19/27 roundabout.

Carrying black flags and shouting slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, the protestors tried to jump over the barricades near the rally venue, leading to the police action.

Several workers were also detained and were taken to the Manimajra police station. Senior party leaders, including Ambika Soni, Asha Kumari, Harish Chaudhary, Pawan Kumar Bansal, Ravneet Bittu, Vijay Inder Singla and Amarjit Lali, reached the police station to meet the injured leaders and workers. Chhabra said the Modi government had failed to bring back the black money from Swiss banks but has harassed the common man, housewives and innocent poor people. He accused the government of creating “economic instability, financial chaos and anarchy-like situation” in the country.