Bikram Dhanola now sells roasted corn in the streets of Barnala. (Source: Express Photo) Bikram Dhanola now sells roasted corn in the streets of Barnala. (Source: Express Photo)

Bikram Dhanola, who had hurled a shoe at Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal August 15 last year in Issru, Khanna, now sells roasted corn in the streets of Barnala. Since then, the former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) worker has donned many hats — from that of a politician who contested the Dhuri bypolls to a rebel who tore photographs of Badal from 108 ambulances to even a tea-seller. He is “proud” of what he did last Independence Day.

“My life has changed. It has changed drastically in one year but I am proud of what I did. I never hurled the shoe at a person called Badal. It was for the system – the unemployed youth, the drugs ruining Punjab and the dying farmers,” says Bikram.

“I am still unemployed. I have no home. No one wants to keep me now, neither in a job nor at home as a tenant. But I am the one who stood up against the system and will continue to do so.”

After the shoe-throwing incident that was allegedly planned by Bikram and in connivance with AAP MP Bhagwant Singh Mann, Mann distanced himself from Bikram, saying “I have no connection with Bikram more than that of a party worker.” The police had at the time claimed that Bikram, along with two aides, had met Mann after hurling the shoe and showed him the video.

“I am inspired by (AAP national convenor) Arvind Kejriwal. Only Mann (Bhagwant) saab can say why he denied knowing me but we always worked for his win. We campaigned for him due to which he is an MP today. I am proud that I took a stand against the Badals and throwing a shoe was just a symbolic way to protest. I am standing with AAP even now,” he says.

After opening a tea stall in Barnala, Bikram became a baptized Sikh and went on a 65-day hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in Delhi demanding justice for 1984 anti-Sikh riot victims. Later, he contested Dhuri bypoll with ‘shoe’ as his symbol, to “challenge the arrogance of Sukhbir Singh Badal.”

“AAP refused to let me contest on the party ticket so I fought as an Independent,” he says. Recently, he tore photos of Badal from 108 Ambulances.

“The police kept me in preventive custody thinking I am planning a conspiracy again for August 15. I was released on August 8 after my wife sat on a dharna. Why are the laws different for me?”

Verdict on ‘conspiracy’ charges likely on Aug 27

Khanna: The arguments for framing of charges in the CM shoe-hurling case were heard in the court of judicial magistrate Harjinder Singh on Thursday. Bikram’s counsel Rajdev Khalsa argued that there is not enough proof with the police for 120-B section (conspiracy) applied against Bikram, Harvinder and Mahinderpal. The verdict has been reserved for August 27. – ENS

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