Scores of activists of farmer, labourer and youth organisations gheraoed the Baghapurana police station, 21 km from here, on Saturday, demanding that a case be registered against Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal with regard to the Moga incident under Section 304 of the IPC.
The protesters demanded that permits of Orbit Aviation and other transport companies owned by the Badals should be cancelled forthwith. The protesters raised anti-government slogans and announced that the gherao would continue till Sunday evening.
A joint action committee (JAC) has been constituted by leaders of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Ugrahan), Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union (PKMU), Naujwan Bharat Sabha (NBS) and other farmer, student and labourer unions for protesting against the "goons hired" by private bus owners for "harassing" the passengers.
Addressing the gathering, leaders of the JAC said all private bus owners had around three "goons" deputed on each bus other than the driver and conductor. "They harass the passengers, including girls, students and women, on the pretext of checking tickets. Sometimes, the cops of Punjab Police also join this staff," they alleged.
Joginder Singh Ugrahan, state president, and Sukhdev Singh Kokri, state general secretary of the BKU, cited the case of the Uber taxi service that was banned after the rape incident involving its driver in Delhi. They said it was the responsibility of the employer to check the credentials of the employees, and as such, Sukhbir Badal should be booked.
{{/usCountry}}Joginder Singh Ugrahan, state president, and Sukhdev Singh Kokri, state general secretary of the BKU, cited the case of the Uber taxi service that was banned after the rape incident involving its driver in Delhi. They said it was the responsibility of the employer to check the credentials of the employees, and as such, Sukhbir Badal should be booked.
{{/usCountry}}Jora Singh Nasrali, state president of PKMU, said the male students without tickets were dragged down the buses and beaten up while girls were sexually harassed. "Such incidents are routine in all private buses across the state. The situation has created panic among the common man and it has disturbed peace in the state," he said.
Kokri alleged that most of the Badals' buses had tainted glasses and window curtains which was violation of the Supreme Court guidelines. "The very person whose job it is to maintain law in the state has been violating it and the consequences are disastrous as this lawlessness resulted in the death of a 13-year-old girl," he added.