CHANDIGARH, Punjab—Prominent Panthik journalist Talwinder Singh Buttar from Anandpur Sahib was manhandled and forcibly kicked off the bus by an Orbit bus conductor. Buttar was on his way to Patiala from Ropar when he boarded the Orbit bus with license plate number PB-03AJ-7536 on March 1.
“I am physically handicapped, and not able to walk without support. Upon boarding the bus, I asked the conductor for discounted fair,” said Talwinder Singh Buttar. “I showed him my identification card, which authorizes me for discounted fair on all public transportation, however, despite having explained my physical disability, the conductor refused to cooperate,” said Buttar.
“The conductor was rude and did not want to reason,” he said. By this time, the bus had taken off and Buttar had no option. “I was shocked, I had the pass issued by the Punjab Government and no one has refused to issue handicapped ticket to me in past,” he said.
Buttar was told by the conductor to not make a scene, else he will be removed from the bus. Upon this, Buttar confronted the conductor and said, “I am a journalist, I wonder how you people treat others.”
Shortly upon reaching village Rangilpur near Roopnagar, the conductor asked the driver to slow down the bus and pushed Talwinder Singh down from the stairs where he was standing to get off at the next station.
SSP Varinder Singh acknowledged that a case has been registered and an inquiry is on-going. He however refused to identify the bus conductor. As per recent information received by Sikh24, the conductor has been dismissed from duty.
Aam Aadmi Party Punjab Convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur condemned the incident and highlighted that nothing more can be expected from Badals after the murder and molestation case in Moga. He said that it was not just Badals, but all their staff members were having a “power hangover”.
Orbit bus company has long been in the highlights for various incidents. Owned by Punjab Deputy Chief Minister’s wife Harsimrat Badal, one of the Orbit bus drivers and its conductors molested a 13 year old girl, later pushing her and her mother off from the bus. The incident led to the death of the girl on spot, while seriously injuring her mother.