Labour unions protest near Punjab CM's residence, Sangrur police resorts to lathi-charge

Labour unions protest near Punjab CM's residence, Sangrur police resorts to l...

by Argus News

Sangrur, Nov 30: Punjab Police on Wednesday resorted to a lathi-charge on members of the agriculture labour unions who were marching towards Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's residence in Sangrur over their various demands.

The protestors, who included agricultural workers, gathered at the Patiala bypass after which they started moving towards the Chief Minister's residence where there was heavy police deployment. The police tried to stop the protestors who included members of eight labour organizations and resorted to the use of force which left some of the protestors injured.

Police, however, said that they did not resort to lathi-charge and stated that "an aggressive faction of protestors indulged in a scuffle".

"No lathi charge was done, and the protest is going on in a peaceful manner. An aggressive faction of protestors indulged in a scuffle, which was later controlled by the police. We have taken cognizance of their demands," Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sangrur said.

The incident created a political uproar with Bharatiya Janata Party's Manjinder Singh Sirsa and Shehzad Poonawalla attacking the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab.

Manjinder Singh Sirsa accused Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of showing his "true face" and said the people of Punjab will give a befitting reply to the injustice done to them.

"Kejriwal showed his true form through lathi-charge on Punjab farmers sitting on dharna outside CM Bhagwant Mann's house. Instead of giving the farmers their rights, Kejriwal is weakening Punjab by investing money of Punjab in Gujarat campaign. Punjabis will give a befitting reply to this injustice of Kejriwal," Sirsa said in a tweet.

He also said that making promises before elections and not fulfilling them later is the "new change" brought by AAP.

"Instead of giving rights to the farm labourers protesting outside the house, doing lathi charge at them is proof of the atrocities of Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann. Making promises before the elections and not fulfilling them after the elections is the change by AAP. People of Delhi and Gujarat should stay away from this deceitful party," Sirsa said in another tweet.

BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla alleged that AAP is "anti-people anti-peasant party".

"The workers who were peacefully going towards the CM's residence were brutally lathi-charged. It shows the real face of AAP. It stands for 'anti-People anti-peasant party'. CM Bhagwant Mann is busy campaigning in Gujarat and the farmers of Punjab have been left in miserable condition," he said.

(ANI)

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7.4-Magnitude Quake Kills 1 In Philippines

by Swati Sucharita

Manila, Dec 3: A 7.4-magnitude offshore earthquake that hit southern Philippines has killed at least one person and injured two others, local authorities reported on Sunday.

The local disaster reduction office reported that a woman from Tagum City in Davao del Norte province was killed when a wall of her house collapsed, reports Xinhua news agency.

Her husband and child were injured.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council was still assessing the quake's impact and has yet to confirm any quake-related deaths or injuries.

In an updated report on Sunday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology upgraded the magnitude of the earthquake from 6.9 to 7.4.

The institute said the quake, which occurred at 10.37 p.m. on Saturday night, hit at a depth of 25 km, about 30 km northeast of Hinatuan town.

The institute said the tectonic quake, which was felt in parts of Mindanao island and central Philippines, will cause damage.

The institute has recorded over 500 aftershocks till Sunday morning, some with magnitude of over 5 and 6.

The institute also issued a tsunami warning on Saturday night, prompting residents living in the coastal areas close to the epicenter to evacuate to higher grounds or move farther inland.

The residents returned home after the institute lifted the tsunami alert.

Philippine Coast Guard said on Sunday morning that all vessels and aircraft were placed on alert to be ready for dispatch.

Last month, a 6.8-magnitude offshore earthquake, hitting about 34 km northwest of Sarangani town with a depth of 72 km, led to at least nine deaths, according to authorities.

The archipelagic Philippines has frequent seismic activities due to its location along the Pacific "Ring of Fire".

(IANS)

Madhya Pradesh Assembly Results: BJP Leading On 73 Seats, Congress On 28 Seats

by Swati Sucharita

Bhopal, Dec 3: The latest trends in Madhya Pradesh show that the Bharatiya Janata Party is leading on 73 seats and Congress on 28 seats in the state.

Union Minister and BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia arrives at the residence of incumbent Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, in Bhopal.

As per the latest official EC trends, BJP is leading on 73 seats and Congress on 28 in the state.

Former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Kamal Nath said that he is "confident" about his party forming the government.

Speaking to the reporters here, the Congress leader said that he has 'trust' in the voters of the state.

"I have not seen any trends; I don't need to look at any trends till 11 am. I am very confident; I trust the voters of Madhya Pradesh..." he said.

However, it is to be noted that all leads now are based on the counting of postal ballots.

The BJP fought the poll under a largely collective leadership while Congress projected former Chief Minister Kamal Nath as its chief ministerial face.

Nath has been the MP Congress Committee (MPCC) president for several years. He has represented the

Chhindwara parliamentary seat for nine terms since 1980, becoming one of the longest-serving MPs in the country.

In a run to the assembly polls, Nath targeted Chouhan for his alleged misgovernance, corruption, and failure to control crimes against women, tribals, and Dalits, focusing his campaign on hyperlocal issues, even as the

Congress made several pro-poor and pro-farmer welfare promises.

The counting of votes of assembly elections held in Madhya Pradesh on November 17 began at 8 am on Sunday.

The Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections were held on November 17, 2023, to elect all 230 members of the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly. Voting was carried out in a single phase.

In Madhya Pradesh, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress (INC) stand as the primary political forces. However, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) led by Mayawati and the Samajwadi Party (SP) also hold significance in the state's political landscape.

Most exit-poll projections released on Thursday put the BJP in the lead, with the Congress seen to be coming up short and not cashing in on the 'anti-incumbency' as they had hoped to. Some exit polls, however, gave an advantage to the Congress party.

Also read Assembly Results: BJP Leading On 23 seats In Chhattisgarh

Early counting trends in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday showed the BJP had taken a commanding lead in 37 seats according to results put out by the Election Commision of India.