Punjab: Transfer Patiala SSP over colonel assault, says Bajwa in assembly

Haryana, not Punjab farmers, had blocked highways, says Pargat Singh

The Punjab assembly witnessed a fiery scene during zero hour of the Budget session with leader of Opposition Partap Bajwa demanding transfer of Patiala SSP Nanak Singh for “protecting” cops who allegedly assaulted a serving army colonel outside an eatery in Patiala district a few days ago.

Raising the issue, Bajwa said it was surprising that the government was protecting cops for thrashing a turbaned colonel in a Sikh majority state. “Those cops behaved more like animals. No one can be spared for such acts. Exemplary punishment for these erring officers is must,” said Bajwa while demanding a probe by a sitting or retired high court judge.

Bajwa said the conduct of Patiala SSP has been questioned in the past as well as he was transferred in 2022 because of communal clash in Patiala.

Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath, posted at Army Headquarters in New Delhi, and his son were assaulted reportedly by 12 policemen in Patiala recently over car parking dispute. The army officer had suffered severe injuries.

The zero hour also witnessed a heated exchange between speaker Kultar Sandhwan and Congress MLA Pargat Singh when the latter commented on an alleged statement by speaker. The speaker objected to Pargat’s remarks, terming it baseless. “I thought you know how to put your statements in right perspective. But you have proved me wrong,” said the speaker while abruptly asking Pargat to sit back on his seat.

Earlier, Pargat, while raising the issue of removing farmers from Shambhu and Khanauri protest sites, argued that AAP was creating economic losses for the state by blaming the farmers’ agitation. “It was Haryana, not the Punjab farmers, who had blocked the roads. Shaming farmers at the behest of BJP to polarise the border state is a misconception of the AAP government,” said Pargat.

He also said the AAP government did nothing for the business community.