Amritsar BJP MLA Navjot Kaur Sidhu sits on indefinite hunger strike

Navjot Kaur Sidhu, BJP MLA from Amritsar East Assembly constituency, went on an indefinite hunger strike from 16 August. She is demanding a release of funds for her constituency.

Addressing media, she demanded that the SAD-BJP government should allocate adequate funds for carrying out development projects which have been pending for long in her area.

"I was forced to go on hunger strike," she said adding she would continue with her fasting unless the SAD-BJP government released funds.

"Nevertheless to say, I met Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in Sangat Darshan programme in Amritsar, thereafter I also met him at Chandigarh where I got assurance for adequate funds, which now seemed a distant dream," she said adding that mere "lip service" was not enough as people in her constituency were concerned about development.

The state government had sanctioned Rs 10 crore for roadwork project for Amritsar East Assembly segment, but so far neither any amount has been released nor tenders for the same floated, she said.

However, Sidhu, wife of cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, said her demands for funds is for her constituency and added that she holds no grudge against CM Badal, whom she described as a fatherly figure.

Notably, on Thursday, SAD MLA and chief parliamentary secretary Inderbir Singh Boloria had opened front against his own government, and staged a protest alleging that his constituency was being neglected by the Punjab Government.

Meanwhile, the security of BJP MLA Sidhu has been tightened. A large posse of police personnel were deployed at the hunger strike venue late evening.

A heavy police force from five police stations was deployed on the spot at 10:30 PM.

Civil Lines police station SHO Sukhwinder Singh Randhawa said that the heavy police force was deployed for security reasons to prevent any untoward incident by any unscrupulous elements.

-PTI