Sonipat/Jhajjar: Political tensions ran high on Sunday as Congress functionaries in Haryana alleged that party workers travelling to attend a rally at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi were stopped and inconvenienced by police, even as authorities maintained that security checks were routine and no one was prevented from proceeding to the national capital.Former Congress MLA from Gohana Jagbir Malik alleged that several party workers were stopped at the border and harassed. He also raised concerns over the difficulties faced by workers on their way to Delhi.Badli MLA Kuldeep Vats also claimed police stopped him near the Bajghera toll post while he was heading to Ramlila Maidan. The legislator said he eventually managed to reach the venue along with his supporters.Accusing the BJP govt of being apprehensive about the Congress’s growing public support, Vats said, “You can block roads, but you cannot stop people’s resolve.”Sonipat police spokesperson, ASI Ravinder Singh, said checkpoints were established at all border points connecting the district with Delhi as part of heightened vigilance following the implementation of pollution-related restrictions. Police personnel were checking vehicles before allowing them to proceed towards the capital, he said.“There was no obstruction from our side. Vehicles were checked as part of the routine procedure, and everyone was allowed to proceed towards Delhi. No one was unnecessarily stopped or inconvenienced,” Singh said.Inspector Rakesh, SHO, Bahadurgarh City police station, also denied allegations of harassment, saying commuters and other visitors travelled peacefully without facing any difficulties. “There was no problem of any kind. Everyone proceeded peacefully, and nobody was harassed by the police,” he said.Police personnel have been deployed at 12 locations in Sonipat, including key crossing points such as the Singhu-Kundli border, Saboli and Auchandi. Traffic movement has continued, while non-destined commercial vehicles and those falling under restricted categories are being diverted towards the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) and Kundli-Ghaziabad-Palwal (KGP) expressways, wherever applicable, police said.The heightened checks follow restrictions effective Nov 1, barring vehicles registered outside Delhi that do not meet BS-VI emission standards from entering the national capital, police added.
