A Punjab BJP delegation on Monday met the DGP, seeking adequate security arrangements for the party's four 'Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatras' across the state scheduled to be held from September 18 to 30.
The party is set to take out four statewide 'yatras' in Punjab with an objective of creating awareness among people against drug menace in the state, and senior BJP leaders, including Union Ministers Amit Shah, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Arjun Meghawal and party national president Nitin Nabin, are scheduled to attend these at various points.
The delegation was led by Punjab BJP chief Kewal Singh Dhillon. Other leaders, including Parminder Singh Brar and Vineet Joshi, were also part of it.
Four yatras to begin from September 18
Nabin will flag off the first yatra from Ekta Sthal, Madhopur in Pathankot district's Sujanpur on September 18.
Three other yatras will commence from Fatehgarh Sahib on September 19, Fazilka on September 20 and Talwandi Sabo on September 21.
Union Ministers Chouhan and Meghawal, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and other senior dignitaries will also join the yatras at various stations, Punjab BJP chief Dhillon wrote to DGP Gaurav Yadav.
On September 30, Union Home Minister Shah is also scheduled to visit Jalandhar for the concluding programme of the 'Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatras', it further said.
BJP asks police to prevent disruptions
"In view of the nature and scale of the proposed yatras, and considering the participation of senior political leadership and the expected gathering of the general public, the events require adequate security arrangements and close coordination among the police authorities concerned," the communication said.
It is, therefore, requested that adequate security arrangements may kindly be made throughout the routes, including at the starting and concluding points, Dhillon said.
The BJP delegation further requested that appropriate preventive measures may be taken to ensure that no anti-social, undesirable or mischievous elements are able to enter the yatras or create any obstruction or disturbance or cause any untoward incident.
"Adequate security cover may also kindly be provided to the Union Cabinet ministers and senior BJP leaders accompanying the yatras, as per the applicable security protocol and threat assessment," it said.
Traffic management also sought
Necessary traffic management arrangements may also kindly be made in coordination with the district police authorities concerned so as to ensure the smooth movement of the yatras, regulate vehicular traffic and minimise inconvenience to the general public, Dhillon said.
Earlier, the Punjab BJP had said that the Yatras, under the tagline "Bhajpa Da Naara, Nasha Mukauna Saara", would focus on three major challenges confronting Punjab today -- "the growing drugs menace, deteriorating law and order and corruption at every level of governance, from the tehsil and police station to the Chief Minister's Office".