AAP leaders protest, burn effigies of Badal over Moga bus case

AAP activists today took out a march and burnt effigies of Punjab Chief Minister Badal protesting against the death of a teenage girl who was molested and thrown off a moving bus belonging to his family.

AAP leader Jasraj Jassi, who contested the last Lok Sabha elections from Bathinda against Union Minister and ruling SAD leader Harsimrat Badal, led the protest march along with Moga District AAP Convener Ajay Sharma.

About 150 AAP activists were present in the march and burnt effigies of the ministers around the Civil Hospital where the mother of the deceased girl is undergoing treatment, followed by a dharna.

The protesters demanded registration of a case against the owners of bus, Orbit Aviation, in which the alleged molestation incident took place.

Meanwhile, local MLA Joginder Pal Jain faced criticism from the protesters last night when he stated that "cases are not registered like this."

"Accidents keep taking place on the roads when so many buses and other vehicles run," he said drawing criticism from the activists. Later, the issue was sorted out by the two parties and the MLA left the venue.

AAP Lok Sabha member from Sangrur, Bhagwant Mann, yesterday led his party's protest dharna outside the office of the Deputy Superintendent of Police of Baghapurana with around 500 others and demanded questioning of the owners of Orbit Aviation. He said when officials of Uber taxi service could be questioned in connection with the alleged rape by a cab driver in Delhi, why can't the owners of Orbit Aviation be interrogated.

"When in Nirbhaya case the owners of bus were also booked in Delhi, then why the action should not be taken against the Badal family who are the owners of Orbit Aviation," he added.

AAP has also maintained that when the owners and senior management of the Fabindia company were issued notices to join the investigations in the Goa CCTV camera incident, why the police is ruling out any such thing in Orbit case.

AAP MP Mann has questioned, "When law is equal in the country then why it is not being implemented with same spirit in Punjab."

Opposition Congress Chief Partap Singh Bajwa has also demanded the cancellation of bus permits given to Orbit Aviation through out the state.

"This incident clearly shows that there is no law and order in the state. There is lawlessness and anarchy," Bajwa alleged while demanding cancellation of bus permit to Orbit Aviation and a ban on the plying of buses owned by Orbit Aviation on the lines of Uber rape case in Delhi.