Leaving no stone unturned to make its protests against drug smuggling in border areas on January 5 a success, the Shiromani Akali Dal has told its halqa incharges to bring at least 500 people each from their respective assembly segments.
The workers, accompanied by senior leaders from eight segments of Patiala district, will reach the India-Pakistan border at Hussainiwala to participate in the protest. The halqa incharges have been told to follow the directions strictly and ensure heavy presence of workers from their respective areas.
Surjit Singh Rakhra, water supply and sanitation minister, on Saturday held a meeting of all constituency incharges and chairmen of different committees and gave them the directions in this regard.
“We have clear instructions from the party high command to bring maximum people from all the segments. I have asked halqa incharges to bring a minimum of 500 workers each from their respective segments,” Rakhra said.He told the in-charges to meet workers in their respective areas and take responsibility of making all arrangements to make the protest a success.
“We were earlier directed to make an arrangement of buses to transport workers from Patiala to the Hussainiwala border. But now, the high command has asked us to bring 100 cars each from every segment as buses take more time to cover the distance,” Rakhra said.
{{/usCountry}}“We were earlier directed to make an arrangement of buses to transport workers from Patiala to the Hussainiwala border. But now, the high command has asked us to bring 100 cars each from every segment as buses take more time to cover the distance,” Rakhra said.
{{/usCountry}}He said the districts situated close to the border had been told to bring maximum workers to the protest site.
“We have made all arrangements as the workers are enthusiastic to take part in the protest. The drug issue is being projected as if every Punjabi were an addict,” Rakhra said, adding that the idea behind the protest is to send the message that such a projection is just to defame the stature of Punjab both nationally and internationally.
The Youth Akali Dal (YAD), is also preparing to make it a good show of strength. YAD Malwa zone-2 president Harpal Juneja said they had meetings in SAS Nagar, Fatehgarh Sahib, Sangrur, Patiala and Barnala districts.