Cricketer-turned-politician and Congress MLA Navjot Singh Sidhu today launched an attack on Captain Amarinder Singh-led state government for allowing Delhi Police to torture and mercilessly thrash a youth in the territory of Punjab and asked it learn lessons from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who made a CBI team captive in her state.
Yesterday, Lakhbir Singh alias Lakha Sidhana’s cousin brother Mundi Sidhana was abducted by the Delhi Police’s special cell in Patiala. Mundi Sidhana is a law student in Patiala and had gone to his university to partake in an exam when he was abducted by the Delhi Police and beaten up mercilessly. Mundi was later admitted to a hospital in Bathinda in critical condition. Lakha Sidhana confirmed that the same team of the police that arrested Deep Sidhu was the one that abducted his cousin.
Along with Lakha Sidhana, several noted personalities and organizations spoke up against Mundi Sidhana’s thrashing by the police. Also, they blamed the Chief Minister of Punjab for allowing the Delhi Police to do so.
Taking serious note of this, Sidhu said in a tweet, “Shameful that Delhi Police is allowed to torture Punjabis in our domain and territory. Does it violate Punjab Govt’s authority – with whose connivance was it done?? Lessons should be learnt from Mamata Banerjee who put CBI behind bars when they encroached in W.Bengal’s jurisdiction”.
https://twitter.com/sherryontopp/status/1381099761072177158?s=20
Meanwhile, MLA and Shiromani Akali Dal (Democratic) leader Parminder Singh Dhindsa said, “The arrest and torture of Gurdeep Singh Sidhana shows how the Union Govt continues to intimidate its rivals and ordinary citizens by misusing the central agencies. Punjab Govt should show some spine and stand up for its people”.
https://twitter.com/Parmind86705338/status/1381231331523190788?s=20
“Friends, I am busy in Delhi for a few days due to the action taken by ED against me. I strongly condemn the 3rd-degree torture by Delhi Police on Lakha Sidhana’s brother. This atrocity on Lakha’s family is being done only because Lakha is supporting Kisan Morcha and opposing the Modi government. I request the Punjab government to register its protest against the Modi-led BJP government against the genocide of Punjab youth”, said Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira.
On the other hand, Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) president Sukhbir Badal said chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh was directly responsible for the atrocities being inflicted on the State’s youth who had participated in the Kisan Andolan.
In a statement here, the SAD (B) President said how Delhi Police personnel had abducted and mercilessly thrashed Mundi Sidhana, the brother of Lakha Sidhana, who is wanted in a case about the January 26 action at Red Fort, was condemnable. “We want to ask Capt Amarinder why he is allowing the Delhi Police to indulge in such acts. The Delhi Police does not have any jurisdiction in Punjab, but Capt Amarinder Singh is allowing it a free hand to conduct raids with impunity in the State and arrest youth on flimsy charges. This needs to be stopped immediately”, he said.
Asking the chief minister not to bow down to such an extent before the BJP led central government, Badal said, “We have seen how you have played a fixed match with the BJP on each and every issue to the detriment of Punjabis. We have seen you surrendering the rights of the State to the centre. Now you are becoming a party to the conspiracy to punish the youth of the State for protesting against the three Agricultural laws. You should not allow the Delhi Police to spoil the future of hundreds of our youth and remain a mute spectator to torture being inflicted on them. We demand that you stand up to protect the rights of the youth of the State and register a criminal case against the Delhi police team which abducted and tortured Mundi Sidhana.”
