BATHINDA – Not satisfied with the rounding up of leaders of various organisations, the police registered four separate cases against unidentified persons just to ensure that if anyone protests, blocks roads or raises anti-government slogans, he could be booked immediately.
“We fear that some organisations, including farmer leaders, may indulge into blocking roads by axing trees or digging up roads. This is why we have registered the case,” said Investigating Officer Krishan Singh at Talwandi Sabo police station.
While the cases were registered against unidentified persons, the police would fill the name of the ones who would indulge into protests in the black space in the FIR.
These cases were registered under Sections 427, 148, 149 and 3/4 of the Damage to the Public Property Act at City Rampura Police Station, 283, 160 and 3/4 of the Damage to Public Property Act at Nathana Police Station, 3/4 of the Damage to Public Property Act at Nandgarh and Talwandi Sabo police stations.
Leaders of farmers’ unions said that the Punjab Government, with the help of the police, is leaving no stone unturned to suppress the voice of the people.
“Apart from sending threats to mediapersons and sending legal notices, the government is also rounding up Sikh leaders and farmers,” said district president of BKU (Ekta-Ugraha) Shingara Singh Mann.
Despite doing all this, the situation is bad for the government as the number of people visiting the rally is quite thin. “SAD leaders are pleading with folded hands to save their face. They are telling people to sit on the rooftop of the mini-buses even when the vehicles are empty on the inside,” Mann said.
He said that a large number of mini-buses had been pressed into service to ferry workers and the public to the venue of the rally to showcase strength. Many buses have even come from Delhi, Haryana and nearby districts of Rajasthan.
A local SAD leader’s relatives reportedly pleaded with a section of students to stay away from school and instead take part in the rally.
“A group of around 10 to 15 students — in plain clothes — were taken to the venue of the rally from Ajit Road in a mini-bus. They were told to sit on the rooftops despite empty seats inside the bus,” said Ravinder Jeeta, a shopkeeper on Ajit Road.
