Chandigarh: With all warring factions of the Punjab Congress putting on a united face, the party’s new state in charge Sachin Pilot led a march to finance minister Harpal Cheema’s residence on Tuesday, demanding his resignation over the alleged abetment of Gulzar Singh’s suicide. The protest saw participation by all senior Congress functionaries and workers from across the state.Chandigarh Police stopped the protesters from reaching Cheema’s residence, using water cannons. Several Congress workers, including senior leader Kuljit Singh Nagra, were injured, claimed the party. Party leaders were detained and later released.Pilot said Congress had nothing personal against Cheema but questioned why an FIR had not been registered and a detailed probe ordered when Gulzar Singh had allegedly named the minister in his dying declaration.He said the suicide reflected the state’s deteriorating situation, contrary to AAP’s claims, and alleged that a poor Dalit was forced to take his life after raising questions about the easy availability of drugs to which his son had become addicted.Recalling AAP’s pre-election promise to appoint a Dalit deputy chief minister, Pilot said, “What to speak of a Dalit Deputy Chief Minister, Dalits like Gulzar Singh are forced to commit suicide under the AAP regime.”He also reminded AAP of Arvind Kejriwal’s promise to eradicate drugs within three months of forming govt, saying that after nearly five years of AAP rule, chitta was so easily available that there was “home delivery” of drugs.Thanking party workers for mobilising in large numbers at short notice, Pilot said Congress would stand by them and assured that, as the representative of the party high command, he would lead every fight for justice. He said he would leave no stone unturned to restore the dignity and honour of Congress workers.Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Congress Legislature Party leader Partap Singh Bajwa and former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi also attacked the AAP govt, calling it the worst in the state and describing Bhagwant Mann as the most disastrous chief minister.Among those present were PCC president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, CLP Leader Partap Singh Bajwa, former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Brahm Mohindra, Vijay Inder Singla, Rana KP Singh, Dr Amar Singh, Pargat Singh, Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Rana Gurjeet Singh, Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Dr Raj Kumar Verka, Sukhwinder Singh Danny, Sangat Singh Gilzian, Kuljit Singh Nagra, Amarpreet Lally, Lakhvir Singh Lakha, Balbir Singh Sidhu, Amit Vij, Pawan Adia, Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria, Inderbir Bolaria, Gurkirat Singh, Baljit Kaur and others.
