Hundreds of Aam Aadmi Party workers led by their Punjab unit chief faced water cannons outside the house of Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh while protesting against the electricity crisis in the state during peak summer. A few AAP leaders have been detained by the police.
Punjab AAP chief Bhagwant Mann and his party worker gathered in force outside Amarinder Singh’s house in Mohali this afternoon and started shouting slogans. Later, they started marching towards the Chief Minister’s residence. This drew the police to use water cannons on the protesters.
The Punjab government has been facing criticism over severe power shortage amid an intense heatwave. The state has already ordered shorter working hours in government offices and has requested department to reduce use of high power-consuming appliances like air-conditioners.
Police personnel were deployed in strength and multi-layered barricades were put up on the road leading to the chief minister’s farmhouse. As scores of AAP workers carrying party flags forced their way through the first layer of barricades and reached the second, police used water cannons to disperse them.
Later, the police booked 23 AAP leaders and 200 unknown supporters for flouting Covid-19 safety norms. The protestors had gathered in large numbers without wearing masks or observing social distancing.
Those named in the FIR include Bhagwant Mann, leader of opposition Harpal Cheema and MLAs Meet Hayer, Manjeet Singh Bilaspur, Kulwant Singh Pandori and Master Baldev Singh. They have been booked under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of Indian Penal Code besides Section 51A of the Disaster Management Act at the Mullanpur police station in Mohali.
