Chandigarh, Sep 5 (IANS) Activists of the Istri Akali Dal, the official women’s wing of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), led by Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Saturday marched to the residence of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to demand his resignation as well as registration of a criminal case against his wife Gurpreet Kaur, who is facing allegations of demanding Rs 5 crore to suppress a rape case.
However, Gurpreet Kaur has already rejected the allegations, saying the charges are baseless.
Meanwhile, the police put up barricades to stop the Istri Akali Dal members led by Harsimrat Badal, MLA Ganieve Kaur and the Women Wing President Hargobind Kaur from marching towards the Chief Minister’s residence following which they staged a sit-in on the road and courted arrest.
The women continued to hold the protest even after the senior SAD leaders were detained.
Speaking on the occasion, Harsimrat Badal said the Chief Minister’s office had become a den of corruption where crores were being sought by the latter’s wife to let off a predator against whom two women had filed rape and kidnapping charges.
She added that recent audio and visual evidence had revealed how Gurpreet Kaur’s brother-in-law had sealed a deal with a colleague of the accused rapist and media influencer Guri Chahal for Rs 5 crore.
“Everyone has seen how Gurpreet Mann’s relative Amardeep Grewal negotiated with the predator’s colleague while sitting in a restaurant with the Chief Minister’s wife and even shared a picture of the latter to establish his credentials,” she alleged.
Harsimrat Badal said, “We have also seen how following the sealing of the deal with the Chief Minister’s wife, the accused was let off within two months and was also allowed to flee to the United States.”
Asserting that the Akali Dal would launch a mass movement across the state until Gurpreet Kaur was not arrested, she also demanded the arrest of all other accused in the case, besides the dismissal of the police officers who had filed cancellations reports to favour the rape accused and facilitate his release from jail.
Harsimrat Badal also called for extending protection to the rape victims who had registered complaints against the media influencer, besides demanding a CBI probe into the entire incident.
“It has also come to light that five women had personally complained to the Chief Minister against the same ‘predator’ but the latter did not take any action in the matter. This should also be probed to ascertain why the CM’s office was siding with rapists.”
Meanwhile, warning people that the fire could reach their houses also, Istri Akali Dal leader Hargobind Kaur and Ganieve Kaur Majithia appealed to the people of Punjab to unite and fight for the cause of the wronged women as well as putting an end to corruption in the Chief Minister’s office and residence.
–IANS
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