Punjab Congress to greet Modi by burning 'Chitta Ravana'

Opposition Congress party will greet Prime Minister Narendra Modi by burning effigies of 'Chitta Ravana' when he visits Ludhiana city in Punjab on Tuesday.

Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh will lead the party leaders in burning the effigy of 'Chitta Ravana' (colloquial term for synthetic drugs in Punjab) at the site of the Dusshera-eve clash between Youth Akali Dal and Congress leaders in Ludhiana last week.

Modi will attend an event of medium and small enterprises in Ludhiana on October 18.

"As soon as Modi starts speaking, the 'Chitta Ravana' will go up in flames," Amarinder Singh said.

"I will personally burn the Chitta Ravana, let them try and stop me if they can," Amarinder said, challenging the Akali Dal government in the state.

"I want to show the Prime Minister what kind of goondas he is supporting," he added.

Amarinder said the Congress leaders will burn 'Chitta Ravana' effigies in all the 117 assembly constituencies of the state on Tuesday.

The Congress leadership had blockaded Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal's official residence for the last three days, demanding action against Punjab Police officers who allegedly played a partisan role in the Youth Akali Dal-Congress clash on October 10 and later booked six Congress leaders.

The sit-in outside Badal's residence here, which continued even at night, ended on Saturday night.

The protest ended after the Punjab government ordered the transfer of Ludhiana Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Jaswinder Singh on Saturday evening.

Badal also ordered Director General of Police Suresh Arora to probe the clash.

The Akali Dal leadership is getting edgy over the 'Chitta Ravana' issue as the Congress party accused some Akali Dal leaders of patronising the illegal drugs trade in the state.

--IANS

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