Ludhiana violence failure of police, administration: Congress

Condemning the violence in Ludhiana involving migrant labourers, Punjab Congress today said this was due to failure of the State police and administration.

"The incidents concerning violence by the migrant laborers were a result of provocation by the police authorities and failure of the administration to redress the grievances of its citizens," State Congress general secretary Raj Pal Singh said in a statement here today.

He said labour force is the backbone of our industrial and farm sector, and we cannot ignore their contribution in the economy of the state.

Ludhiana MP and Congress national spokesperson Manish Tewari today reiterated his appeal to the people to maintain peace and harmony at all costs.

He appealed to the people not to get provoked by vested interests who were bent upon to disturb peace and harmony in Ludhiana.

In a separate statement issued here, Tewari said the State government should have been more vigilant and anticipated the situation beforehand, and taken appropriate preventive and preemptive action.

He called upon chief minister Parkash Singh Badal to personally monitor the situation and ensure that peace and tranquility are maintained throughout the state at all costs.

Tewari said Congress MPs from Punjab would soon be meeting Union home minister P Chidambaram to apprise him about the situation in the state.