Following the brutal police lathi-charge on Apprentice Linemen protesting for recruitment outside the PSPCL headquarters in Patiala, former Punjab Cabinet Minister and Member of Parliament (MP) Vijay Inder Singla visited the protest site today to extend his full support to the agitators. Upon reaching the venue, Singla declared that the Congress party would fight a fierce legal battle at every level to secure the release of the detained youth.
Following this major announcement and Singla’s immediate intervention with senior police and administrative officials, the administration was forced to soften its stance, leading to the safe release of all 11 detained Apprentice Linemen shortly after. As soon as Singla arrived at the protest site, union leaders informed him that 11 of their fellow colleagues had been missing and were under police custody since yesterday’s crackdown.
Singla immediately contacted top police officials from the spot. He firmly presented the legal side of the case and strongly demanded their immediate release, forcing the police to back down and release all 11 youngsters.
During his visit, Singla noticed that an Apprentice Lineman sitting on a hunger strike was falling severely ill. He immediately contacted medical teams and ensured that doctors rushed to the spot to conduct a preliminary medical check-up and provide necessary treatment.
Furthermore, observing that the protesting youth were in shock and distress and had not eaten properly since the lathi-charge, Singla deployed his personal team to immediately arrange food at the site. Addressing a massive gathering at the protest site, Vijay Inder Singla stated that the brute lathi-charge unleashed upon the Apprentice Linemen was absolutely horrific.
He asserted that the government must understand that peaceful protest is a fundamental constitutional right of the people. Launching a scathing attack on the AAP government, Singla remarked:
"Those who used to shamelessly pitch themselves as the ‘Aam Gharan di Sarkaar’ have turned completely autocratic and tyrannical today. The state police has completely failed to rein in actual criminals and gangsters, extortions are rampant, and drugs are being sold openly in every corner of Punjab.
The government is completely helpless there, but when it comes to raining blows on Apprentice Linemen demanding their rights, this government becomes aggressive." Singla further added that these Apprentice Linemen are not criminals or gangsters; they are well-qualified youth who are only demanding proper recruitment through appropriate channels.
He urged the government to stop treating them like criminals and handle them with a humane approach. Singla added that even if the protesters had allegedly closed the gates of the PSPCL office, the police and administration should have taken the path of dialogue instead of resorting to the stick.
The senior Congress leader took a direct swipe at Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, challenging him over his pre-election promises of using the ‘Green Pen’ to regularize contract workers and generate new employment. Singla made it clear that until these Apprentice Linemen are properly recruited into the department, the Congress Party will stand shoulder to shoulder with them from the streets to the courts.