In yet another indication that Congress has been supporting the ‘farmers’ rebellion in the country, gangster Lakha Sidhana, who is wanted in connection with the Delhi violence that erupted in the national capital in the wake of the tractor rally on January 26, was today seen at a ‘farmers’ rally held in Bhatinda’s Mehraj, the ancestral town of Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh.
In a brazen challenge to the security agencies, Sidhana was today seen seating on the stage at the ‘farmers’ rally in Mehraj. Sidhana subsequently even addressed the gathering and the organisers on the stage dared the police to arrest Sidhana, who carries a bounty of Rs 1 lakh.
Sidhana urged the villagers to not allow police to arrest anyone in connection with the violence that transpired at the Red Fort on Republic Day this year. He alleged that the central government was wrongly implicating people from Punjab to undermine the ‘farmers’ protest and appealed to the Dalit community to participate in the protest in large numbers. After the rally, Sidhana reportedly ran away on a motorcycle from the spot.
It is also pertinent to note that several farm union leader, including Haryana BKU leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni, have egged on people in Punjab to stop Delhi Police from entering their villages to arrest those responsible for wreaking havoc in the national capital on Republic Day.
Organisers of ‘farmers’ rally wash their hands off involvement with gangster Lakha Sidhana
Baba Hardeep Singh Dal Khalsa, the organiser of the rally washed off his hands from the involvement of Sidhana in the demonstrations. He alleged that Sidhana was not in their contact and stressed that they had announced the rally before Lakha exhorted people to attend it.
“We wanted to send our voice to Kisan morcha that they have support from Punjab. The response of the gathering will reveal the next course of action from this rally. Lakha Sidhana is not in our contact though we have announced the rally before Lakha. He has supported the rally but we have no information if Lakha is visiting this rally,” Singh said.
Lakha Sidhana releases a video on social media asking people to join protests in Bhatinda’s Mehraj
Last week, in a bid to instigate people, Sidhana released a video on social media, asking people to join in support of the farm agitation in Bathinda district’s Mehraj, the ancestral village of Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, on February 23.
In the video that was posted on Friday night, Sidhana urged people to gather in big numbers at the grain market in Mehraj, 35 km from the Bathinda district headquarters. “We are organising a farmers’ gathering in Mehraj of Bhatinda on February 23,” said Lakha Sidhana and urged people to reach the protest in large numbers.
Gangster Lakha Sidhana absconding since violence erupted in Delhi on January 26
The gangster Lakha Sidhana was about to be caught from the Singhu border area on January 26 but as the tractor rally crowd went rampaging, the accused switched off his phone and managed to flee from the area. In addition to Sidhana, actor-activist Deep Sidhu was also listed as one of the accused in inciting demonstrators to indulge in violence in Red Fort. While Sidhu has been arrested, Sidhana remains untraceable.
Since then, Delhi Police has been on the lookout to trace the whereabouts of gangster Lakha Sidhana, accused of fomenting violence during the tractor rally on the Republic Day when thousands of demonstrators breached barricades, clashed with the police and stormed the grounds of the iconic Red Fort.
After the violence swept over the national capital, Delhi Police named actor-activist Deep Sidhu and Lakha Sidhana in an FIR accusing the two of instigating the protesting farmers to storm the iconic monument and hoist flags, including Khalistani flags.