Congress Stages Major Protest in Mohali Against Alleged Police Harassment
Hundreds of Congress leaders and workers gathered on Wednesday outside the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Office in Sector 76, Mohali, staging a vociferous protest against what they described as high-handedness by the Punjab Police. The demonstrators demanded immediate action against officials from the Phase-I police station, accusing them of harassing common citizens under political pressure.
Senior Congress Leader Leads Demonstration
The protest was spearheaded by senior Congress leader and former Punjab health minister, Balbir Singh Sidhu. Raising loud slogans against the Punjab government and the police administration, the protesters condemned what they termed as the misuse of police authority for political ends.
Addressing the assembled crowd, Sidhu made serious allegations against the Station House Officer (SHO) and a sub-inspector of the Phase-I police station. He claimed that these officers were unnecessarily harassing innocent people at the behest of an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA, turning the police force into a tool of intimidation rather than protection.
Allegations of Police Misconduct and Intimidation
"The fundamental duty of the police is to safeguard the public, not to intimidate or threaten them. Regrettably, in present-day Punjab, the police are being blatantly misused under political pressure," Sidhu asserted. He emphasized that such incidents of alleged police excesses were becoming disturbingly frequent, eroding public trust in law enforcement.
Sidhu highlighted a specific case involving a woman shopkeeper who had sought police assistance. According to the Congress leader, instead of providing help to the victim, the police misbehaved with her and intimidated her when she approached the police station seeking justice. The woman had reported facing regular harassment and abusive language from certain individuals.
- She claimed that upon filing a police complaint, instead of taking action against the accused, the police allegedly threatened her and sent her back without registering her complaint.
- The woman further alleged that during a subsequent visit to the police station, the SHO and other officials used abusive language and threatened to imprison her.
Congress Issues Ultimatum and Threatens Escalation
The Congress leader issued a stern warning to the authorities, stating that if no action is taken against the accused police officials, the party would launch a state-wide protest next week. The planned escalation includes submitting a detailed memorandum to both the Governor and the Director General of Police (DGP).
Sidhu added that the Congress party is prepared to take the matter to the Punjab and Haryana High Court if necessary, seeking judicial intervention to address the alleged misconduct and ensure accountability within the police force.
This protest underscores growing tensions between opposition parties and the state administration over law enforcement practices, with the Congress positioning itself as a defender of citizens' rights against perceived political victimization.
