Water cannon used as BJP workers protest against Punjab govt

Chandigarh: Amid the simmering rift between the AAP government in Punjab and the governor, the police here Thursday aborted a BJP march to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's residence by deploying barricades, using water cannon and briefly detaining protesting leaders including the state BJP chief.

The BJP had announced the 'gherao' of the chief minister's official residence, accusing his six-month-old government of "failing on all fronts".

The march by state BJP chief Ashwani Sharma and other senior party leaders was being taken out a day after Governor Banwarilal Purohit withdrew his permission to the AAP government to hold a special session to bring a confidence motion.

Police put up barricades near the state BJP office in sector 37 to stop the protesters from moving towards the chief minister's residence. When the BJP workers tried to force their way through the barricades, police used water cannon. Later, several BJP leaders including Ashwani Sharma were briefly detained. The BJP leaders hit out at the AAP, saying the party was making "baseless allegations" the BJP was trying to poach ruling party MLAs through "Operation Lotus".

"Holding a protest is our democratic right and no water cannon can stop the BJP from raising public issues," Sharma told reporters.

JP leaders justified the governor's decision to not allow the special session of the assembly on September 22 "just for he purpose of bringing a confidence motion".

Sharma said the BJP will "expose" the AAP government's "failure" on all fronts. "The government failed to keep its poll promises such as giving Rs 1,000 per month to women. It also failed to address other public issues," he told reporters at the protest. He alleged the Mann government was only trying to "please" AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and not resolving burning issues like the drugs menace, corruption and the "deteriorating" law and order.

Earlier, Sharma alleged the AAP government failed to live up to the expectations of people. He claimed people now regret they voted for the AAP as it is "running away from its responsibilities".

People had cast vote for the AAP for peace, harmony, development, but nothing has happened, he claimed.