Govt trying to stop people from coming to Bathinda rally: Cong

Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh today alleged that some deputy commissioners, district transport officers and policemen were trying to harass the transporters who have agreed to provide buses for ferrying party workers for the December 15 Bathinda rally, and warned them against action when his party forms government.
"The Congress rally will be held in any case at any cost and people will certainly reach there in large numbers but imagine what will be your plight when we will form government just over a year from now," the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president said, warning all such officials.
He said the attempts to prevent people from attending the Congress meeting "reflected the panic and frustration the government, particularly Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal, has been gripped with following massive and overwhelming response and enthusiasm shown by people towards the rally".

A party release said Singh has been receiving complaints from all over the state that some DTOs, DCs and police officials have started harassing and intimidating the transporters who have committed to provide buses for the Congress rally.
He said these officials, particularly the DTOs, who were doing Sukhbir's bidding were only doing it at their own peril.
"No matter how hard and ruthlessly Sukhbir might try to misuse his machinery to discourage people from attending the (Bathinda) rally, it will still be a grand and record breaking success as people will reach there of their own," Singh said.

(REOPENS DES 27)

Amarinder took a potshot at Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who also heads the Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry, saying that the latter was shedding "crocodile tears" as regards 'Udta Punjab'.
The Punjab Congress chief strongly refuted the allegation that his party was playing politics on the issue.
"If somebody has picked up the issue and portrayed our plight, shouldn't we support him," he asked, while justifying his support for the free run of 'Udta Punjab'.