SAD, BJP to hold dharnas against govt on Jun 12

The Shiromani Akali Dal and Bhartiya Janta Party combine will hold dharnas at all districts in the state on June 12 against the government on several issues, including farm debt waiver and alleged "impropriety" in sand mining contract.

The dharnas will be attended by party leaders and workers of both the parties, besides the common citizens, SAD secretary and spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema said in a statement issued here today.

He said SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal will lead a protest dharna in Ludhiana.

Cheema said besides the senior leadership of both the parties, the SAD core committee members, MPs, MLAs, SGPC members, office bearers of the party and all the district level leaders and members and elected representatives of the local bodies will take part in these dharnas.
 

"The objective is to get resolved the burning issues confronting the state and awake the deaf and dump government about the problems of the people," he said.

The SAD spokesman said, "Issues taken at these dharnas will include the mining scandal in which Punjab cabinet minister Rana Gurjit Singh and several ruling party MLAs were involved, the government's apathy towards problems of the farmers and its betrayal on the issue of farm loan waiver, failure of the government to control incidents of desecration of Guru Granth Sahib and governing the state."

Cheema said the alleged atrocities being committed against Dalits and deteriorating law and order situation in the state will also be highlighted in these dharnas.

He said both the parties have issued instructions to party workers to make these dharnas successful and meetings are also being held in this regard.

The SAD leader said after the dharnas leaders of both the parties will meet respective deputy commissioners to submit memorandums. He said that dharnas will be "completely peaceful".

After the completion of the dharna programme, a high- level delegation of both the parties, including core committee members, MPs and MLAs, will meet Punjab Governor on June 13 and demand dismissal of Gurjit from the Cabinet, besides an enquiry by CBI, ED and Income Tax authorities in the sand mining contract, he added.