Sangrur, April 6: Freedom fighter Labh Singh (95) and three sons of other freedom fighters, carrying petrol in bottles, climbed an overhead water tank in the District Administrative Complex (DAC) here on Thursday and raised slogans against the administration and Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh over their long-pending demands.
They came down three hours later after getting an assurance that their meeting with the CM would be fixed before April 20.Labh Singh and others had arrived at the DAC for a meeting with DC Ghanshayam Thori.
“The DC instead sent his GA (grievance assistant). This upset us,” said Harinder Pal Singh Khalsa, president of the Punjab State Freedom Fighters Descendants’ Association.
The freedom fighter, along with Siyasat Singh, Jaswant Singh and Kulwant Singh, walked out of the meeting and climbed the tank despite the heavy security.
Other freedom fighters reached the spot and staged a dharna. Their demands include a government job to a young member of each freedom fighter’s family, pension to elderly members, free bus travel, and exemption from paying toll tax. AAP MLA Harpal Singh Cheema and other leaders joined the protest and met the DC.
“I was busy making wheat-lifting arrangements. They should have realised that I was preoccupied,” the DC said. “We will hold a protest in front of the CM’s residence in Patiala if the meeting doesn’t take place,” Jaswant Singh said.
Source Tribune India
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