In a move to prevent potential protests, police have placed four leaders under house arrest ahead of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s visit to Faridkot district for his ‘Lok Milni’ (public interaction) programme on Sunday evening.
The detained leaders, Gursewak Singh Bhana of SAD (Amritsar), Sharanjit Singh Sran of All India Kishhan Union (Fateh) and Waheguru Singh and Sarwan Singh of Babria Samaj Morcha, had reportedly planned to attend the event to directly question the CM regarding long-pending community demands and alleged unfulfilled promises.
Police have restricted their movement and barring them from leaving their homes until the CM’s event concluded.
The leaders claimed that their primary intention was to peacefully participate in the Lok Milni programme to raise questions about justice regarding the sacrilege cases and other Panthic issues.
Following their house arrest, the leaders strongly criticized the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, accusing it of backtracking on its election promises. They alleged that the government is trying to muzzle the voice of dissent and run away from answering the public.
During the Lok Milni event held at Panjgrain Kalan village in Faridkot early this week, Mann had fiercely attacked opposition leaders and religious bodies, strongly defending his administration’s newly proposed anti-sacrilege laws.
However, the preemptive detention of local Panthic leaders has sparked a fresh political debate over the suppression of peaceful questioning during public outreach programmes.
