On Saturday, law enforcement took into custody several demonstrators, including youths and farm leaders, and imposed house arrest on former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi at his residence in Morinda, located in the Ropar district.
In response to his confinement, Channi urged the public to inquire with AAP leaders about the 'house arrest' and the government's actions against protestors who intended to participate in a planned protest at the Chief Minister's residence in Sangrur in support of social media influencer Bhana Sidhu.
Later in the day, police agreed to release Bhana Sidhu by February 10.
In a Facebook live session, Channi shared his predicament, stating, "The police have confined me to my house. I am not allowed to leave my house. Protestors are being subjected to assaults and detentions to prevent their participation in the scheduled protest near the Chief Minister's residence in Sangrur in support of Bhana Sidhu."
Bhana Sidhu was brought to Mohali from Patiala jail on a production warrant in an extortion case.
To oppose the apprehension of the vlogger, members of certain farmer unions initiated a demonstration on the Malout-Bathinda road on Saturday. Alleging that law enforcement prevented their journey to Sangrur, they asserted that their protest would persist until Bhana Sidhu is released.
In conversations with local journalists, Channi recalled an incident where Bhana Sidhu had prevented him from entering his village, but Channi appreciated it as a democratic protest. He contrasted this with the current government's actions, alleging that they subjected Bhana Sidhu to third-degree torture and kept him in cold water, resulting in him contracting typhoid, reported Times of India.
Describing the situation as an undeclared emergency, he said that the era of Mughals and British rule has ended, and the present government's rule will also come to an end. Channi accused the government of attempting to disrupt the peaceful atmosphere in Punjab.
Challenging Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Channi said people would respond by throwing cow dung cakes at AAP leaders. He emphasized that if a former Chief Minister is not safe, it reflects poorly on the safety of an ordinary citizen.
Last month, social media influencer Sidhu, slated for release on bail, was again arrested and faced charges in four additional cases. This led to accusations that he was being singled out due to his criticism of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.
Responding to the situation, SSP Ropar, Gulneet Singh Khurana, clarified, "We have only imposed house arrest on former CM CS Channi as he had called for a gathering in Sangrur for the protest. No other protestors have been detained in our district."
(Published 04 February 2024, 10:32 IST)
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