Channi sips tea with auto-rickshaw drivers, redresses grievances

Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, November 22

Auto-rickshaw drivers, who were sitting as usual at Gill Chowk, were taken aback as they saw Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi along with Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president, Navjot Singh Sidhu approaching them.

‘Rape’ victim seeks LIP chief’s arrest

• A woman, who has been allegedly raped by Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) chief Simarjit Singh Bains, was also present at the venue. “I was not allowed to go inside the venue so I am standing outside among people and want to question the Chief Minister why the LIP chief is being given political shelter and not being arrested,” she said.

Parents’ association fails to submit memo

• Members of the School Parents Association, who had come to submit a memorandum to the Chief Minister, were standing in between the road. The police cleared the road and did not allow them to stand in between the road and hence they were unable to submit the memorandum.

Channi halted there and listened to the problems of the auto-rickshaw drivers on his way to the grain market to take part in a party workers’ meeting and announced to waive their pending challans.

Both Channi and Sidhu sat on a wooden bench and interacted with the auto-rickshaw drivers and owners. In his impeccable style, Channi relished the tea offered by the auto-rickshaw drivers by dipping a ‘mathi’ in it.

During the interaction with the auto-rickshaw drivers, the Chief Minister assured them of considering their genuine demands. Due to huge rush of the auto-rickshaw drivers, the Chief Minister then stood on the stool and addressed the gathering amidst huge applause.

Striking an emotional chord with the auto-rickshaw drivers, Channi said during his initial days he himself had driven an auto-rickshaw. Winning the hearts of the auto-rickshaw drivers he announced that new registration certificates will be issued soon to them for preventing their harassment.

Channi announced that all the challans which are pending will be waived. He asked the auto-rickshaw drivers to follow traffic rules and work honestly. Channi also acceded to the demand of auto-rickshaw owners to draw a yellow line exclusively for plying of auto-rickshaws.

While addressing party workers meeting, Channi emphasised his government’s commitment to ensure women empowerment. Channi said equal representation would be given to them in the government and as well as in the party fold in the coming days. “Women need their share, they don’t need reservations,” he said.

Taking a dig at Kejriwal, Channi said what does the Mission Punjab of Kejriwal means? Are there not enough Punjabis left that now outsiders will come and rule Punjab? Channi questioned.

Member of Parliament Ravneet Bittu, while addressing the meeting said public had chosen Congress leadership during last elections but the trust of the people was breached by some senior leaders.

“The cords of the senior leaders were connected somewhere else due to which people had to suffer but the change in leadership has shown positive results. Now the CM does not live in a palace but is easily accessible and is on roads in the evening and listen to the grievances of the public. Channi is the leader of the masses,” said Bittu.

Senior Akali leader Sarabjit Kaur Sahoke, who had contested the 2017 Vidhan Sabha elections on the Akali ticket from the Jagraon constituency, Bhupinder Singh Sahoke, SAD halqa in-charge, Nihal Singh Wala, along with their supporters joined the Congress in the presence of the Chief Minister.