Punjab politician perches on tree, demands Badal come
April 16th, 2011 - 12:42 am ICT by IANSZirakpur (Punjab), April 15 (IANS) High drama prevailed at a village near this Punjab town Friday with a local politician climbing up a tree and refusing to come down till Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal personally came to listen to his grievances.
Avtar Singh Nagla, who had unsuccessfully contested the 2007 state assembly elections, climbed up a eucalyptus tree in Nagla village and all efforts of the police and administration to convince him to come down failed.
He was still perched atop the tree at 11 p.m.
“It is my desperate attempt to make my voice heard. I will not come down till Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal himself come here and listen to my grievances. They are sitting in AC offices and are least bothered about common man,” said Nagla here.
“Now I want to talk face to face with Badal. I was left with no other option,” he added.
Nagla had climbed the tree after making full preparations as he was carrying water bottles and eatables with him. As Nagla refused to come down even after sunset, halogen lights were installed around the tree and a heavy police force was deployed in the area.
About the reason behind this extreme step, Nagla said: “The state government had given several acres of land here on lease to a paper mill company so as to provide employment to the villagers. But the mill owners sold the land to a property dealer at very high prices. I want that land back.”
Officials said that they were trying to convince Nagla to come down.
“He has refused to come down and adamant over his demand of meeting the chief minister. He is talking about an old matter of 1971. I have directed the officials to look into it,” Dera Bassi Sub-Divisional Magistrate Puneet Goyal told IANS.
Nagla in Mohali district, located on Chandigarh-Ambala highway near Zirakpur town, is around 15 km from Chandigarh.
- Punjab politician climbs tree in protest, wants to meet Badal - Apr 16, 2011
- Punjab politician climbs tree in protest, wants to meet Badal (Lead) - Apr 16, 2011
- Peepli Live from Punjab village - Apr 17, 2011
- Treetop protester is a proclaimed offender, say police - Apr 20, 2011
- Punjab villager ends treetop protest, touches ground again - May 14, 2011
- Man still perched atop eucalyptus tree in Punjab (Lead) - Apr 18, 2011
- Man still perched atop eucalyptus tree in Punjab - Apr 18, 2011
- Punjab won't acquire Zirakpur land without farmers' consent - Nov 03, 2011
- Punjab moots master plans for all cities, towns - Aug 28, 2010
- Badal vs Badal vs Badal in Punjab's Lambi seat - Jan 07, 2012
- NRI raped on pretext of marriage - Feb 08, 2011
- Badal spends night in village school - Jul 08, 2011
- Punjab to plant trees along all highways - Apr 14, 2012
- Punjab seeks centre's help over Thapar University quota - Apr 20, 2012
- Akali Dal-BJP create history in Punjab (Evening Lead) - Mar 06, 2012
Tags: assembly elections, chief minister, common man, desperate attempt, eatables, eucalyptus tree, extreme step, grievances, halogen lights, high drama, magistrate, nagla, perches, police force, politician, state assembly, state government, sunset, water bottles