Ferozepur, December 8, 2916: The PUNBUS workers of 1500 buses in 18 Depots in the State refused to ply buses for Moga Rally organized today at Moga for Pani Bachao Punjab Bachao and were put off the road.
The rally has been organized at Moga to show strength for the rival groups and with an aim to seek referendum on SYL issue besides to sound poll bugle from Akali stronghold. In the past, it has been a ritual for Shiromani Akali Dal to set its poll campaign from Moga before every election perhaps being located centrally.
It is a matter of coincidence or intentionally, the rally has been organized on the birthday of Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, Punjab to allure the people of Punjab in view of the coming Assembly elections.
Resham Singh, President, Theka Mulazam Sangharsh Committee informed that in view of programme of the 25 organisations at Ludhiana for December 10 and our refusal to ply the buses for Moga rally, I was lifted late hours by the police from my residence and on coming to know of my arrest among the Punbus workers, I was released at 7.30 am in the morning.
He further said, the workers decided to put on hold the entire fleet of 1500 buses in the state off the road and not to ply the buses for Moga rally.
On the one hand, we are not being treated as government employee and are not being regularized while for the Moga rally we are pressurized to ply buses for Moga rally to transport the people, he added.
He said, a meeting of the Committee has been scheduled for 2.30 pm today at Ludhiana to take stock of the situation and adopting further course of action.’