Congress Marches Over Dalit Labourer's Suicide; Sachin Pilot Detained in Chandigarh
Congress protesters led by Sachin Pilot were stopped and detained in Chandigarh during a march over Sangrur labourer Gulzar Singh's suicide.
The Congress escalated its confrontation with the Punjab government on Tuesday, marching from the Punjab Congress Bhawan in Chandigarh toward the residence of state Finance Minister Harpal Cheema over the suicide of Sangrur labourer Gulzar Singh.
The march was led by Sachin Pilot, the newly appointed Punjab Congress in-charge and former Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister. Chandigarh Police halted the procession with barricades; when some party workers climbed over them, police deployed water cannons, setting off a confrontation.
Pilot and several senior Congress leaders were detained during the face-off. Some Congress workers and police personnel were reported injured. The detained leaders were released around 3 pm, roughly an hour after being taken into custody.
Gulzar Singh, a member of the Valmiki community, died by suicide after questioning Harpal Singh about the drug menace in Punjab that had affected his son.
Speaking to party workers before the march, Pilot attacked the Bhagwant Mann government, alleging that heroin, referred to as "chitta", is being home-delivered in the state. Invoking Gulzar's death, he said the Dalit man died while naming the minister.
Pilot said he would lead the Congress' fight in Punjab and would be the first to face police action. "In Punjab's fight, I will remain at the forefront. I will take the first lathi, the workers will come later," he said.
The protest also produced a notable moment for the state unit, with former Chief Minister and Jalandhar MP Charanjit Singh Channi and Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring sharing a stage after nearly three months.
Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa said the party would contest the next Punjab Assembly election without projecting a chief ministerial face, seeking votes in the names of Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Sachin Pilot. "When we get the majority, the high command will decide," he said.
Warring, taking the microphone, challenged Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to a face-to-face confrontation and said he would corner him on the issue, keeping the party's attack centred on the state government.