SAD Hits Out at Punjab Govt for Lodging Case Against Party Leaders, Workers

A day after the Punjab police booked its leaders and workers on the charge of violating Covid curbs, the SAD hit out at the Congress-led Punjab government on Tuesday for “suppressing” the voice of those standing by the people in this hour of crisis. Police registered a case on Monday against Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and other senior party leaders, besides 200 unidentified people for staging a sit-in against Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu in violation of the restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Acting on Chief Minister Amarinder Singh’s directions, the police registered the case under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Disaster Management Act. The protesters were demanding Sidhu’s dismissal from the cabinet over the “diversion” of coronavirus vaccines to private hospitals.

Several Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders and workers were also booked for holding a protest on Sunday. Reacting to the registration of the case, senior SAD leader and former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra said the state government is trying to “suppress” those who are standing by the people in this hour of unprecedented crisis.