The protest by Sikh leader and Shiromani Akali Dal (A) chief Simranjit Singh Mann at Lakhanpur, the border of Indian Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir, entered the third day on Wednesday against the denial of entry by the Modi government to the territory.
Mann, an Indian MP from Sangrur in Punjab, was stopped on the orders of Kathua District Magistrate, leading to protests by the politician and his supporters since Monday evening.
Supporters from Jammu, Kathua and Punjab continued to throng the protest site and raised slogans against the BJP and its local proxy.
Criticising the Kathua authorities’ decision, Mann, speaking to reporters, had said, “I am a Sikh and that is why BJP and the RSS did not allow my entry into Jammu and Kashmir.” He had added, “There is no legislature in Jammu and Kashmir, which is under military rule. There is no democracy. I have come to visit the people of Kashmir to see for myself what is happening (post abrogation of Article 370). I want to highlight the real picture to the outside world”.—KMS
