Case Against Opposition Leaders In Punjab For Protests Amid Covid Restrictions

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh asked the police chief to act against opposition leaders and workers who have been staging sit-ins in the state over the past few days.

Several opposition leaders in Punjab, including Sukhbir Singh Badal of the Shiromani Akali Dal and Saravjit Kaur Manuke of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), were booked on Monday for staging protests against the state government in violation of the restrictions imposed to curb coronavirus spread, hours after Chief Minister Amarinder Singh directed the police to act against them, officials said. The chief minister asked the state police chief to act against opposition leaders and workers who have been staging sit-ins in the state over the past few days. Acting on the chief minister's directions, the police booked a host of opposition leaders under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Disaster Management Act, officials said. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) workers and leaders led by Mr Badal staged a sit-in near the residence of Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu in Mohali on Monday and sought his dismissal from the cabinet over the "diversion" of coronavirus vaccine to private hospitals. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had staged a protest outside Mr Sidhu's residence on Sunday on the same issue.