Parvesh Sharma
Tribune News Service
Sangrur, June 4
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who had been vocal against security cover to politicians in the past, has invited sharp reactions from political opponents and locals over unprecedented security arrangements during his visit to the Deputy Commissioner (DC) office of his native district.
CM accompanied Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Gurmail Singh for the Sangrur Lok Sabha byelection to file his nomination papers. Simranjit Singh Mann from SAD (Amritsar) also filed his papers.
“Look at this closed gate. Cops are not even allowing us to stand even near it. The Chief Minister owes an explanation to residents for turning DC office into fortress just to file the nomination papers of the AAP candidate. He has spoken much against security to VIPs, but now he himself is doing the same even when he comes for few minutes to this office,” said Shyam, a food vendor.
At the backside gate of the DC office, cops had put up a double naka. While the first naka was outside of the gate, another was inside. Only AAP leaders were allowed to take their vehicles till the office of the DSP (Rural). Others were compelled to park their vehicles near the gate. After two nakas, officers had installed another iron grill, causing another division. Even inside the DC office, cops put up iron chairs near the main gate of the DC court and a chain of cops was posted despite locking the building from all sides.
Some senior police officers on anonymity said to prevent the entry of protesters in the DC office, they had made all security arrangements. After filing nominations, Mann refused to take questions from media.
Police 'take over' DC office, residents fume
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