Mansa/Hoshiarpur, Oct 25 Members of various farmer organisations and political parties held protests at many places in Punjab on Sunday, demanding justice for slain anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota.
Protesters burnt brooms and effigies of the AAP government during the demonstrations in several districts, including Mansa and Hoshiarpur. The protests were held on a call given by the Joint Action Committee, which is leading the agitation over the murder of Jhota.
Broom is the election symbol of the Aam Aadmi Party.
In Mansa, Jhota’s father Bhim Singh burnt a broom.
In Hoshiarpur, members of the Lok Inqlab Manch, Tanda, and the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (Piddi group) staged demonstrations at Civil Hospital Chowk in Tanda and Hajipur Chowk in Dasuya, raising slogans against the Punjab government.
At Tanda, the protesters were led by Lok Inqlab Manch patron Hardeep Singh Khudda, while Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (Piddi group) president Paramjit Singh Bhulla was among those present. At Dasuya, the demonstration was led by the committee’s district member Davinder Singh.
Separately, Congress workers led by former Zila Parishad member Sumit Dadwal gathered at Adda Harse Mansar in the Mukerian area of Hoshiarpur and burnt brooms to register their protest.
Former Mukerian municipal councillor Sachin Samyal and Congress leader Harminder Kaur were among those present.
Members of Akali Dal Waris Punjab De also held protests over the Jhota’s murder at several places in the state.
Bhulla said the protests were held in response to a call given by the Joint Action Committee, formed in connection with the Jhota’s killing. He appealed to people across Punjab to rise above caste, religion and party politics, unite in the fight against drugs and demand justice for the slain activist.
He alleged that the AAP government, which had come to power promising to curb drug abuse, had failed to rein in drug traffickers, while those raising their voices against drugs were facing violence.
Bhulla also alleged that political leaders were exploiting the drug issue for electoral gains instead of addressing the problem. He urged people not to allow any political party to use Jhota’s death for electoral purposes.
Besides Mansa and Hoshiarpur, protests were also held in some other districts in the state.
Known for raising his voice against the alleged illegal sale of addictive substances at chemist shops, Jhota was shot dead in broad daylight inside a medical store in a busy marketplace in Mansa on October 13. The incident occurred while he was hosting a Facebook Live session.
Four persons had also sustained bullet injuries in the incident.
Ashwani Kumar, the store owner who allegedly opened fire at Jhota after the activist questioned him over the sale of drugs to an elderly man, was taken into custody from Rajasthan’s Salasar.
The killing triggered a political slugfest in Punjab, which goes to polls early next year.
The family of Jhota has refused to allow a postmortem examination and cremation until their all demands were met which include resignations of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and DGP Gaurav Yadav.
The family’s demands also included a CBI probe into the murder case. The CBI has already taken over probe into the matter.
The family’s other demands pertaining to setting up a trauma centre in Jhota’s name and compensation for each injured person in the incident have been met, officials said on Friday.
A statute of Jhota will be installed at a suitable place like a park or a stadium, officials had said.
Jhota’s body is lying at the mortuary of the Civil Hospital in Mansa. A protest is already going on outside the Civil Hospital.
The Joint Action Committee comprising various organisations and social activists had also demanded the resignations of CM Mann and Director General of Police (DGP) Yadav, and the dismissal of the deputy superintendent of police (DSP), SHO and the drug inspector.
The DSP, SHO and drug inspector have already been suspended by the government.
(PTI News)
