INDIA VOTES 2024: Youth Akali Dal workers clash at Harsimrat’s event in Bathinda
Sukhmeet Bhasin
Bathinda, April 28
A scuffle broke out today between Youth Akali Dal workers at an event when SAD candidate from Bathinda Harsimrat Badal was giving speech, forcing her to stop the speech. Party leaders had to make an appeal to workers to listen to her calmly by sitting on chairs. However, amid the chaos, Harsimrat cut short her speech.
A event was organised at Green Palace near the Barnala Bypass in the city, where Harsimrat was to address workers, but tension mounted before her arrival. Two groups were seen tossing chairs in the air over some trivial issue. Party leaders had difficult time in controlling the workers.
Videos and photos of the workers throwing chairs on each other have gone viral on social media. There was chaos at the venue after the incident. Security personnel took the workers out. The reason behind the scuffle is yet to be known.
District president of the Youth Akali Dal Hasrat Middukheda, speaking on the issue, said mischievous elements had tried to spoil the programme and the Youth Akali Dal team had nothing to do with this fight. It was organised as part of a conspiracy.
Addressing the youth workers, Harsimrat said, “As many as 10-15 years back, Bathinda was nothing. Parkash Singh Badal and SAD have made drastic changes in the city by doing development work by bringing big-ticket projects. We got AIIMS, started Shatabdi when there was no direct train to Delhi, we set up an airport and in the coming time, Bathinda will be the capital city of the Malwa region as Chandigarh.”
Plot to mar event
Mischievous elements had tried to spoil the programme and the Youth Akali Dal team had nothing to do with this fight. It was organised as part of a conspiracy. — Hasrat Middukheda, Youth Akali Dal, chief
Got big-ticket projects
Around 15 years ago, Bathinda was nothing. Parkash Singh Badal and SAD brought about drastic changes through big-ticket projects. We got AIIMS and set up an airport. — Harsimrat Badal, SAD nominee