Congress workers on Monday took to the streets across Punjab to burn ‘Chitta Ravan’ effigies of Akali leaders, including Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and state Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia.

Despite reports of “likely police attempts” to thwart their plans, Congress leaders and workers set the effigies on fire with the party’s state unit chief, Amarinder Singh, being personally present to witness the act at Baghapurana.

Congress leaders Rana Gurjit Singh, Kewal Singh and Laal Singh were among those who led the workers in setting the effigies ablaze in their respective Assembly segments.

Amarinder Singh, who was in Moga district to take part in his party’s ‘Kisan Yatra’ roadshow, which was launched from here on Monday, was at Baghapurana to witness the burning of the effigies of Badal and Majithia.

Similar incidents

Reports of similar burning of effigies of the Badals and other Akali leaders also poured in from other parts of the State at the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) office throughout the day, the party said in a statement.

Amarinder Singh had earlier announced that ‘Chitta Ravan’ effigies will be burnt in all the Assembly segments of the state.

He had also announced to burn one such effigy in Ludhiana on Tuesday which will coincide with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit.

For Tuesday’s effigy-burning, the Punjab Congress chief has chosen the same spot where Congress workers were allegedly attacked by Akali activists in the presence of the police on Dussehra eve when they tried to burn a ‘Chitta’ (heroin) effigy.

Scaling the pitch of the party’s anti-drugs war, Amarinder had yesterday called upon Congress workers to plaster Chitta Ravans with the faces of the Badals and other Akali leaders, in defiance of the reported “diktat” of the State government that effigies with faces will not be allowed to be burnt.

“Let them (the police) try and stop us. We will fight them every inch of the way. They cannot stop us from venting our anger at the sufferings being meted out to the people by the Badal government,” he had vowed, assuring the party workers that he was with them in every step. - PTI