Cong workers stage demonstration

Congress today held a protest here seeking scrapping of Public Distribution System (PDS) by the Centre during which at least five party workers were injured after police used water cannon to disperse them.
The party alleged the PDS is faulty and needy are not getting its benefit.
Local Congress leaders under the leadership of their president Pradeep Chabra held a rally to protest the PDS and were moving in numbers on the streets of the city, police said.
Holding flags, placards and banners, the protesters reached the Sector 7,8,18,19 round-about in large numbers and approached towards the Raj Bhavan.
Police had barricaded the road leading to the Raj Bhavan and when the unrelenting protesters tried to break the police cordon water cannons were used in which at least five of them were injured.

(REOPEN NRG20)

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in Punjab Charanjit
Singh Channi today condemned the alleged attack by Punjab police on peaceful protesting jewelers in Ludhiana, Amritsar and other parts of Punjab.
Channi said the union government should immediately roll back the 1 per cent excise duty and scrap the clause for PAN card on the sale of jewellery above Rs 2 lakh.
Congress leaders alleged that many peaceful demonstrators of the jewellers associations were injured at many places in the state today when they were "brutally" lathi-charged by the Punjab police.
Hitting out at Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Channi said Akalis should take up this issue with the Centre to provide relief to jewellers.