Mule ‘ill-treated’ during YC protest

Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Patiala, May 10

Troubling an animal during a protest against the SAD-BJP government may cost Youth Congress workers dear as a complaint has been lodged against them.

The police are probing the charges of ill-treating a mule in violation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act during the protest on the complaint by an honorary wildlife warden, Ravee S Ahluwalia, who is also attached with the Cabinet minister Surjit Singh Rakhra.

The Youth Congress workers held a protest in Samana using donkey carts on May 5. Some vernacular newspapers had carried the pictures of the protest. “In one of the pictures, the workers were seen mistreating the hapless animal in full public view,” reads the complaint. The workers were protesting against the Centre for fuel price hike.

As per the complaint: “During the protest, seven workers sat on a cart attached to the animal (referred above) and got their pictures clicked for some cheap publicity. The act deserves strong criticism and action as per the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

Gurmeet Chauhan, SSP, Patiala, said he had marked the complaint to the DSP, Samana, to probe the incident. “We will register an FIR if the charges are proved,” he said.

Youth Congress leaders claimed that the animal was used as a mark of protest, but not hurt or subjected to any torture. “The government is trying to pressure us as we were protesting against their wrongdoings,” they alleged.