Youth throws shoe towards Parkash Singh Badal

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal escaped being hit by a shoe hurled at him by a youth during a function near Ludhiana in Punjab on Friday.

The shoe fell a few metres away from the ‘target’ just when the chief minister got up to address the gathering. The youth was immediately overpowered and taken into custody by the Punjab Police. He has been identified as Vikram (23), a resident of Dhanoula in Barnala, the police said.

Sources said the youth was unemployed and perhaps resorted to this move to vent his anger at politicians for not providing adequate jobs. He also raised slogans against Badal. Later, Badal said he has forgiven the youth for what he did.

The function, where the incident took place, was held to commemorate the martyrdom day of freedom fighter Karnail Singh.

Vikram said that he did not hurl the shoe towards the Chief Minister, but towards his chair on the dais. “I am angry with all the politicians..They promise employment, but on ground do nothing,” he said. He added that he was against politicians as ‘they make false promises’. The police said the youth was being questioned.

Former Punjab CM and deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Capt Amarinder Singh has strongly condemned the incident. In a statement, he said, “Whatever may be the reasons or whatever may be the political differences, nobody should be allowed to try to hurt the dignity of the Chief Minister or for that matter anybody else”.

Singh said this trend of trying to throw shoes at dignitaries must be dealt with firmly according to the law. “This is no form of protest but an attempt at cheap publicity by those who try to do it,” he said.