Rahulinder suffers left-eye injury during protest against Cheema

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Chandigarh, September 15
Rahulinder Singh Sidhu, son of former Punjab chief minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, suffered a serious injury to his left eye on Tuesday when police used water cannons to disperse Congress workers protesting against the AAP government over the death of Gulzar Singh.

The incident took place around 1.15 pm as Congress leaders, including AICC general secretary in-charge of Punjab Sachin Pilot, marched from Congress Bhawan in Sector 15 towards the residence of Punjab finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema.

Speaking to The North News after the protest, Rahulinder said he was at the front of the march when the water cannon was used. He said the force of the water struck his left eye, causing a serious injury.

“I was in the front and the water hit me with greater impact,” he said.
The Chandigarh Police have put up barricades in Sector 15 to stop the protesters from reaching Cheema’s residence, according to Rahulinder. He said Congress workers were raising slogans demanding justice for Gulzar Singh’s family when police used the water cannons.

He accused the Punjab government of ignoring the concerns of Gulzar Singh’s family and failing to act against the alleged drug menace in the state.

Gulzar Singh, a 53-year-old agricultural labourer from Toor Banzara village in Sangrur district, died by suicide after raising concerns about the availability of drugs, particularly chitta, in his area.

The Congress has demanded that a case be registered against Cheema and that he resign as finance minister. Rahulinder said the party was seeking accountability from the state government over the death.

Pilot, Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa were detained by police during the protest.
Former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla and other party leaders and workers also took part in the demonstration.

Pilot accused the AAP government of failing to deliver justice in the Gulzar Singh case. He alleged that Cheema was “clearly involved” in the matter and responsible for Gulzar Singh’s death.
The Congress leader also alleged that no proper inquiry had been conducted and accused the state government of weakening the administration.

Pilot said the Congress would continue to raise the issue of drug abuse in Punjab and work towards eliminating the drug menace.

“Tackling drugs is the collective responsibility of everyone in the state,” he said, adding that those in power must be held accountable.