Ban on political rallies direct fallout of success of ‘Punjab Mangda Jawab’ rallies: SAD

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 7

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Wednesday said the Congress government’s decision to ban all political gatherings till April 30 was direct fallout of the resounding success of the Punjab Mangda Jawab rallies organised by the SAD and that the government had resorted to this step to prevent the public angst from boiling over.

In a statement here, SAD Spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema said the ban on public meetings had more to do with the discomfiture of the Congress party and its chief minister Amarinder Singh than with the COVID pandemic. “In rally after rally, the SAD has exposed the chief minister as well as the false oath taken by the latter in the name of the Gutka Sahib and the Deshmesh Pitah. This has upset the plans of Prashant Kishore who has given the suggestion to ban public rallies to contain the damage being cause to the Congress party.”

Asserting that the truth about the Congress government and how it had betrayed each and every section of society besides presiding over scams worth thousands of crores was before the people, Cheema said the Congress did not only want to ban rallies by the opposition, but also its own employees who had come out on the roads against the government. “It is clear that the government wants to control the outburst of public angst against its policies through such autocratic decisions”.

Cheema also lambasted the chief minister for imposing lockdowns without any scientific basis which he said had already caused economic devastation in Punjab. He said the Congress government had allowed holding of municipal elections earlier. “Assembly elections are also taking place in five States in the country. The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) elections have also been announced. Similarly the ‘Kumbh’ mela also took place recently which involved congregation of lakhs of people.”

The SAD leader said instead of knee-jerk reactions, the government should focus on improving tertiary care in its hospitals and upgrade its medical infrastructure. He said simultaneously the vaccination drive should be intensified.