Kapurthala witnessed high political drama after heavy police deployment and JCB machines were sent to demolish an alleged illegal structure outside the residence of senior Congress leader and MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira.
The action took place at Khaira’s residence in Ramgarh village, where a joint team of Punjab Police and civil administration officials carried out a demolition drive against what authorities described as unauthorized construction. Pillars and structural elements located outside the MLA’s house were removed using bulldozers.
During the operation, the entire area was turned into a security zone to prevent unrest, as several supporters of the MLA gathered at the site and raised slogans against the state government.
Khaira Calls It Political Vendetta
Reacting strongly to the action, Sukhpal Singh Khaira termed the demolition as “political vendetta.” He stated that the gate objected to by the administration had already been removed earlier. According to him, the local panchayat had assured compliance if any part of the structure was found illegal.
Khaira alleged that the government carried out the action solely to defame and humiliate him. He further claimed that he has been consistently exposing the alleged failures of the Punjab government in the Legislative Assembly and on social media, which, he said, led to him being targeted.
The Congress MLA asserted that he would not be intimidated by threats or bulldozer politics and would continue to raise his voice for public rights.
Supporters Protest, Administration Defends Action
As news of the demolition spread, a large number of Khaira’s supporters and local villagers gathered at the site, calling the action an attack on democracy. Despite protests, officials completed the demolition process in the presence of senior police officers.
The administration clarified that the action was not targeted at any individual but was part of an ongoing statewide campaign against illegal constructions in Punjab. Officials maintained that wherever violations are found, the law will take its course, and the demolition at the MLA’s residence was legally mandated.
The incident has sparked a fresh political controversy in Punjab, with opposition leaders questioning the timing and intent of the government’s crackdown.
