Punjab CM decries road blockade as form of protest, flays Akalis by citing soldiers, pilgrims

He warned that nobody will be allowed to break the law in Punjab and anyone doing so will face the consequences.

Chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday called upon all political parties to resolve not to block highways but to find other ways to protest.

Any form of protest that causes inconvenience to citizens cannot be termed democratic, he said. (HT file)

Talking to mediapersons a day after he tweeted his unhappiness at the way the Shiromani Akali Dal led by Sukhbir Singh Badal laid siege to highways over an incident of political violence in Ferozepur, Amarinder said that any form of protest that causes inconvenience to citizens cannot be termed democratic, and that blocking national highways is a crime.

He warned that nobody will be allowed to break the law in Punjab and anyone doing so would have to face the consequences. By saying this, Amarinder justified the cases registered by name against the SAD president, MLAs and MPs among others.

“Military convoys could not move and essential supplies could not reach the soldiers, standing guard at the borders, in time, due to this ill-thought and abhorrent decision of the Akalis to sit on dharnas over a complete non-issue,” claimed Amarinder.

“The Akalis did not even take cognizance of the problems that blocking of highways would cause to pilgrims visiting the Golden Temple — the world’s most visited religious site — even though they claim to be the guardians of the Sikh religion,” the CM pointed out.

“The fact is that the Akalis are completely down and out, with no hope for their revival in the near term,” said Amarinder, adding that “no political party can survive without putting the interests of the people above their own political interests”.