Image Courtesy:in.news.yahoo.com
Gangster-turned-activist Lakha Sidhana, accused of inciting the Red Fort violence on Republic Day, was spotted at a farmers’ rally in Mehraj village of Bathinda on February 23, 2021 where Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh called on people to intensify the struggle, said media reports.
According to The Tribune, Sidhana, also known as Lakhbir Singh, was present on the stage for nearly an hour before leaving the venue on a motorcycle. Delhi police earlier announced a reward of Rs. 1 lakh for any person who shared information regarding Sidhana.
News of his attendance was already announced by Sidhana on his social media while he called for a rally at Mehraj on Tuesday. However, the accused was not arrested.
Speaking to SabrangIndia, Senior Superintendent of Police Bhupinderjit Singh Virk said that Delhi police had not sent out a warrant for his arrest either during or after his attendance.
Meanwhile, Sidhana dared Delhi Police to arrest Punjabi youth booked in the Republic Day violence case stating that people should gherao police if personnel try to detain any villager. He further said Chief Minister Singh would be held responsible if Punjab Police were involved in arrests.
Regarding the farmers’ struggle, Sidhana called it a “fight for existence.” He also said that the “historic gathering” at Mehraj conveyed to the Delhi government that farmers will fight despite FIRs, arrests and beating.
“We will not come back on suspension of laws for three or four years, as these public movements are not built again and again, so we will win and come back only after repealing these laws,” said Sidhana, who faces at least 10 criminal cases, including land-grabbing and murder.
He called on Dalits, traders, commission agents for active participation against the three farm laws of the central government and claimed that he stood with farmers organisation Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM.) The farmers group on their part previously clarified that it distances itself from Sidhana and Deep Sidhu, another accused in the Republic Day violence.
Apart from him, the gathering was addressed by journalist Mandeep Punia, who was arrested by Delhi police while covering farmers’ protest. Kotkapura AAP MLA Kultar Singh also attended the rally, but did not address it.
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