Congress, Akali-BJP workers clash in Jalandhar hospital

JALANDHAR - Punjab police Monday arrested 11 Congress leaders following a clash between them and workers of the ruling Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at a hospital here.

The scuffle between both sides took place when Congress leaders, led by district Congress president Arun Walia, started a protest inside the civil hospital premises during the visit of the Punjab Health Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla

The Congress leaders confronted Chawla after she inaugurated the building of the new school of nursing on the premises, 150 km from state capital Chandigarh.

They asked her to accompany them to a ward in the hospital where dengue patients were admitted in pathetic and unhygienic conditions.

Chawla initially agreed but was told by Akali Dal-BJP workers against doing that. This led to a verbal spat between both the sides which later turned into a scuffle. The police had to intervene to control the situation.

The police arrested 11 Congress leaders but later released them on bail.

Chawla said that the protest by Congress leaders was just a farce and they had no concern for dengue patients.

“Have they ever come to the hospital to donate blood for dengue patients? They are doing all this only for cheap publicity,” Chawla said.