Police toss protesters’ turbans as CM recounts religious achievement

It is an irony, which seems to have been lost on Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

At a time he was recounting his government's "religious achievements" during a Shiromani Akali Dal rally in Khadoor Sahib, the policemen were gagging and dragging away some unemployed linemen who were protesting at the venue. The turbans of a number of protesters were tossed and at least five of them lost it. And all this happened on day the state was celebrating the Gurugaddi Diwas of Guru Angad Dev.

As Badal spoke on how his government has fulfilled his religious duty by erecting a number of memorials for "perpetuating the rich cultural heritage for the coming generations", the policemen dragged away the agitators away, showing no respect to the turbans which fell in the process.

Badal was heard telling the protesters 'Chhaddo Khehra Hun' (stop protesting now) during his speech even as they were whisked away.

Soma Singh, the chief advisor of the unemployed linemen's union said, "Turbans of more than five people were tossed by police who brutally thrashed the agitators. As many as 73 members of the union, who were demanding jobs, have been taken into police custody. We have come to know that they were beaten up in police custody as well."

However, Tarn Taran Senior Superintendent of Police Kanwaljit Singh Dhillon denied that the agitators were beaten up in police stations. "Out of 73 agitators, 18 have been taken into preventive custody," SSP said, adding that a case was registered for creating ruckus and interfering in government servant's duty besides other sections of Indian Penal Code against them.

Queried about turbans of agitators being removed, the SSP said, "I have no idea if any turbans were removed. I was with CM Sahib. I would look into the matter."

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