The leaders claimed they had previously sent five legal notices to the Chief Minister regarding his remarks but received no response.
High drama unfolded in Sector 11 on Wednesday as the Chandigarh Police detained several leaders and workers of the Student Organisation of India (SOI), the student wing of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). The activists were marching toward the Chief Minister’s residence to protest against recent remarks made by Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann.
The protest was sparked by a controversial statement attributed to CM Bhagwant Mann, where he allegedly referred to the SOI as the “Smack Student Organisation.” Protesters claimed this was a deliberate attempt to malign the youth of Punjab and the student wing.
“Our zone presidents are PhD scholars and intellectuals. We have books in our hands, not drugs,” said one of the SOI leaders during the demonstration.
The group demanded a public apology from the Chief Minister, asserting that his language was derogatory and harmful to the reputation of Punjabi students.
The situation escalated when the protesters reached the police barricades in Sector 11. Despite heavy police presence and the deployment of water cannons, the SOI workers attempted to break through the cordons to reach the CM’s house.
The confrontation quickly turned into a physical scuffle between the students and the police. Visuals from the scene showed police officers forcibly dragging and pushing protesters into waiting buses as they raised slogans against the AAP-led government.
Several prominent figures were among those taken into custody, including:
- Ranbir Singh Dhillon (SOI President)
- Raju Khanna (Former SOI President)
- Kuldeep Singh Jhinjher (Patiala Zone President)
The leaders claimed they had previously sent five legal notices to the Chief Minister regarding his remarks but received no response.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the detained activists were taken to a nearby police station. While the initial wave of protesters was cleared, a heavy police contingent remains deployed in the area to prevent further gatherings. SOI representatives have stated that they will continue their legal and democratic fight until the Chief Minister retracts his statement.
