Shambhu Barrier (Patiala): The Punjab police on Thursday brought to a grinding halt INLD leader Abhay Chautala’s plans to score a point by leading an audacious march of party workers to dig up SYL Canal on Punjab territory. Backed by an aggressive turnout, the front line of the Punjab police did not yield any ground to the INLD workers, forcing them to beat a hasty retreat. Chautala and other party workers courted arrest.
The Punjab police first issued a warning to the INLD supporters to vacate the highway and then started arresting them. The arrested leaders and workers were transported in a bus to an undisclosed location.
As per latest reports, equipped with digging equipment, other INLD workers have started their long march back home, their high-flying ambition of digging up the canal foiled by an aggressive Punjab police.
With the much touted march coming to an abrupt end, Abhay Chautala has exposed himself to satirical statements from opposition leaders who had already predicted the failure of the march.
Amidst the political noises, sources say that it is the Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar who has gained much political space with his handling of the situation. By not creating many hurdles in the march on Haryana territory, Khattar’s gamble has seemingly paid off as the march died its own death. The CM seems to have got it right this time around.
No incidents of violence had been reported till the filing of this report.