The Janchetna Yatra of senior BJP leader L.K. Advani was on Sunday disrupted as he entered Punjab. Activists of the Akali Dal-Amritsar, which is led by right-wing Sikh leader Simranjit Singh Mann, and some Muslim groups protested against the yatra and showed it black flags.
The Punjab police took into custody over 50 activists of the Akali Dal-Amritsar. The route of Mr Advani’s entourage had to be changed in Bathinda town to avoid more protests.
Many Sikh groups, including the All-India Sikhs Students Federation (AISSF), had earlier threatened to disturb Mr Advani’s yatra. According to Karnail Singh Peermohammad, president, AISSF, Mr Advani, in his book My Country, My Life, proudly takes credit for having a hand in the Indian government’s military action on Harmandir Sahib in June 1984. The military action on Harmandir Sahib, supported by Mr Advani, resulted in demolition of Akal Takht Sahib, the death of thousands of Sikh pilgrims in June 1984 and the subsequent wave of violence against Sikhs all across India which continued for more than a decade.
Earlier, Mr Advani was given a rousing reception as the yatra, which is against rampant corruption, misgovernance and black money, entered Punjab from Haryana.
He was received by Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and his daughter-in-law and Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal and other senior Shiromani Akali Dal and BJP leaders.
Mr Advani will address joint public meeting on Monday in Ludhiana with Mr Parkash Singh Badal, which will formally start the BJP’s political campaign in Punjab.