Clash erupts between political rivals

Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, May 16

Political temperatures soared on the Janta Nagar main road here this morning when supporters of Lok Insaaf Party (LIP), headed by party president Simarjit Singh Bains, came to blows with Youth Akali Dal (YAD) district president Gurdeep Singh Gosha. In the scuffle which continued for some time, Gosha alleged that his turban came off during the incident.

While Gosha claimed that he had gone to the area along with some of his party colleagues to distribute langar, Bains alleged that Gosha and YAD activists had come to the place under a plan where he was supposed to inaugurate a road project in his constituency.

Gosha said while he and his party workers were distributing langar in the area, Bains and his supporters confronted them, saying why they had come to the Assembly segment (Atam Nagar), represented by Bains. “Some Bains supporters hurled abuses at us which led to the scuffle. In the melee, my turban and that of one of my workers were tossed,” said Gosha.

Bains, however, said Gosha and his party workers were objecting to the inauguration of the road project by him on the ground that the project was got sanctioned by the former city mayor, Harcharan Singh Gohalwadia.

“Former mayor’s son was present at the spot and he was claiming that since the project was approved by his father, Bains had no business to inaugurate and take credit for the same,” said the LIP president.

Both the groups (Gosha and Bains) have lodged complaints with the police seeking action against each other.