Monday, October 11, 2010

Fazilka residents issues ulrimatum to Punjab govt for granting district status

FAZILKA: The fazilka residents who are obeserving hunger strike for the last 56 days to get district status for Fazilka have resolved to intesify their agitation. The city observed complete bandh on Sunday last and people from all walks of life joined it.Sanjha Morcha convener Sushil Gumber said the agitation would be intensified. He asked the volunteers willing to participate in fast-unto-death to deposit their affidavits, for acceptance of the demand in the third phase of the agitation. He declared that the relay fast dharna would continue till further decision. 
Sentiments of people connected with the demand of according district status to Fazilka also compelled BJP MLA Surjeet Jiyani and his arch rival and former Congress MLA Mohinder Kumar Rinwa to share a common platform. Both these leaders sat side by side at a dharna staged on the national highway number 10 (Ferozepur-Delhi road) at Malout Chowk here for hours.Townsfolk and activists of various social, voluntary, farmers, labourers, business, employees and industrialists organisations, who have been participating in the second phase of the agitation launched by the Sanjha Morcha about 55 days ago, also stopped rail traffic on the Ferozepur-Fazilka rail section.
Members of local Bar Association, led by its president Shushil Gumber, who have been carrying out the agitation, were mobilising people to make the bandh forceful so that the government could accept their demand.
President of the Beopar Mandal Ashok Gulbhadar said it had been decided to give an ultimatum of 10 days to the government to accord district status to Fazilka. If it failed to do so, the town would witness 72-hour long bandh, he added.
Gumber said fast would continue adding that people had been enlisting their names for the same. The movement for getting district status had gained such a momentum that leaders of various political parties had been coming forward in hordes to join the same.
Congress MLA Mohinder Kumar Rinwa said if the government held a referendum to know feelings of residents of Fazilka and its neighbouring towns and villages, it would come to know that these people could make any sacrifice for getting district status for Fazilka. BJP MLA Surjeet Jiyani said he would abide by the decision of the Sanjha Morcha and would be happy to perform any task, which would be assigned to him by it. Jiyani said he was ready to sit on fast for getting the district status for Fazilka.

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