Cong activists begin 3-day 'silent protest' against police 'excesses'

BATHINDA: Angry with Bathinda police for registering two cases against District Congress Committee (urban) president Mohan Lal Jhumba, party activists on Wednesday resorted to Gandhian way of agitation by starting a three-day 'silent protest'. Led by three-time MLA Harminder Singh Jassi, 21 party workers sat on protest dharna.
The protesters accused the state government of victimizing Congress leaders and workers by registering false cases against them.Congress also announced to intensify its peaceful protest if the cases registered against Jhumba were not taken back. The party announced that 31 Congress workers will sit on 'silent protest' on Thursday and 51 on Friday from 9am to 5pm.
"Law and order situation is deteriorating in Punjab. Instead of controlling the situation, police are victimizing workers of opposition parties and have allowed the jathedars to dictate terms," said Jassi. He also alleged that while police had failed to solve many prominent cases they had wasted no time in taking legal action against Congress district president.
Bathinda senior superintendent of police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar denied registering any "false case against any Congress member". He added, "One of the cases against Jhumba was registered on a complaint by his party activist. If the party workers and leaders have any grievance, they can come and complain, but they must refrain from levelling false allegations."