New Delhi, March 22 After the March 13 incident near Government Rajindra Hospital in Patiala, where Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath faced a confrontation with the police while moving his vehicle, the Congress party has called for an independent, high-level investigation into the matter.
Colonel Bath and his son were beaten up by 12 policemen in civvies at a local dhaba in Patiala on the intervening night of March 13 and March 14.
Addressing a press conference at the AICC (All India Congress Committee) office in New Delhi, Col Rohit Chaudhary, Chairman of the AICC Ex-Servicemen Department, and Alok Sharma, AICC Secretary and co-in-charge for Punjab, demanded the dismissal and imprisonment of all police officers involved. They accused the ruling Aam Aadmi Party and Punjab's administration of attempting to cover up the incident.
The leaders pointed out that no FIR (first information report) was registered for several days following the event. They also alleged that the Dhaba owner at the scene was pressured into filing an FIR against unknown individuals to protect the actual culprits.
They claimed the administration worked to shield the policemen implicated.
According to the Congress leaders, the assault on an Army Colonel highlights the worsening law and order situation in Punjab under the Aam Aadmi Party government. They demanded that the Patiala SSP be named in the FIR for allegedly protecting the guilty officers and called for the inclusion of senior army officials in the Special Investigation Team (SIT).
Expressing concern over the state's rampant drug problem, they criticised the terror caused by the drug mafia and the misconduct of the police. They accused the Aam Aadmi Party of contributing to Punjab's decline.
Additionally, they urged the Army Chief to seek the President's intervention to prevent further incidents targeting armed forces personnel.
The Congress leaders also advocated for the establishment of an 'Ex-servicemen Commission' with judicial powers to address such cases and resolve soldiers' grievances. They proposed enhanced security measures for soldiers, ex-servicemen, and their families, along with legislation to prevent mistreatment by government agencies, similar to laws in other countries.
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