Farmers Movement Archive

Attack on BJP leaders in Chandigarh: Party demands action against police negligence

The Punjab governor and UT administrator, VP Singh Badnore, will hold a high-level meeting on Monday to examine the attack on city mayor Ravi Kant Sharma and senior BJP leader Sanjay Tandon.UT adviser Dharam Pal said, “All aspects of the incident, including any negligence on the part of the police, will be examined in the meeting called by the administrator on Monday.”Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president Arun Sood said, “We have requested the administration to take necessary steps so that Chandigarh is not turned into another Singhu border. If the administration fails to take remedial steps, the BJP will plan its strategy on the issue accordingly.”Earlier in the day, members of BJP took out a protest rally, planned from the party office in Sector 33 to Governor House, which was stopped by the authorities at Labour Chowk. The party leaders submitted a memorandum to the administrator through the sub-divisional magistrate.Sood said, “We have submitted three demands in the memorandum. First, the negligence of the police must be looked into. We had informed them well in advance about the video. The mayor before leaving the venue had again checked with the police and he was again assured it was in control. Second, due action must be taken against the perpetrators of violence. Third, don’t let the city’s law and order fall victim to these agitations.”The police on Sunday arrested three more protesters for attacking the vehicles of BJP leaders. Sections 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) were added to the FIR.The three accused include Rajinder Singh, Harpreet Singh and Malwinder Singh. They were presented in a court on Sunday and sent to judicial custody. The police, however, didn’t share their exact role.On July 17, 22 people were arrested during the protest, but were later bailed out. Officials said that the police were going over videos of the incident to identify violent protesters and those who attacked the vehicles of Tandon and Sharma.The members of Kisan Ekta Chandigarh Union on Sunday have decided to meet the senior superintendent of police (SSP) of Chandigarh on Monday to demand immediate release of the three protesters.The decision was taken in a meeting held in front of Bestech Mall, Sector 66. Satnam Singh, one of the leaders, said, “In case our demands are not met, the farmers will block the UT barriers at Mullanpur and Zirakpur.”He added, “The UT police have falsely implicated us in cases. We were protesting there peacefully. The planted BJP goons were behind the attack.”

Hindustan Times

19-07-2021

Chandigarh