Shoe hurled at Badal; protestor taken into custody

Chandigarh, Jan 11 (IANS) A shoe was hurled at Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, hitting him on the spectacles on Wednesday.

The incident took place in Rattakhera village, around 250 km from here, in the 89-year-old Chief Minister's constituency Lambi while he was addressing a gathering.

The man, Gurbachan Singh, was nabbed by Badal's security personnel and handed over to police for questioning.

The police found that the shoe-thrower is from Jhurd Khera village near Abohar and Fazilka, and is closely related to radical Sikh leader Amrik Singh Ajnala.

It was learnt that Singh was upset over a recent incident of desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib and the failure of the Punjab government and police to nab the culprits.

Badal, who enjoys Z-plus category security status, continued with his programme even after the incident.

"The incident of shoe-throwing by a person from outside my constituency has proved beyond doubt that our opponents have lost the game and want to scuttle a peaceful, free and fair poll. Here is clear proof that our opponents have conceded defeat in these elections and are now resorting to such disruptive tactics," Badal told media after the incident.

"Behind such incidents are people who want to set Punjab on flames again and push the youth of Punjab back into the jaws of bloodshed, and confrontation from which the people of the state have emerged after unspeakable sacrifices. These desperate elements have the backing of our political rivals," Badal said.

Badal added that the person who hurled the shoe is not even from his (Badal's) Lambi constituency.

"In my long life, I have faced far bigger challenges from elements backed by our political opponents. But I have always had faith in my people," the Chief Minister added.