KAPURTHALA:  Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Congress legislator from the Bholath assembly constituency in Punjab, was arrested in this district Sunday along with nearly 100 of his supporters after they peacefully protested against the re-laying of the foundation stone of a water supply scheme in a village.

The young legislator was protesting against the foundation stone of the water supply scheme in Akbarpur village being re-laid by former Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) president Jagir Kaur.

Khaira alleged that the foundation stone of the same project was laid during the previous Congress regime in Punjab in November 2006. He said the village headman got the earlier foundation stone dismantled at the behest of Jagir Kaur to get a fresh one laid.

Khaira had defeated Jagir Kaur, who is from Punjab’s ruling Akali Dal, in the 2007 assembly election from Bholath.

“This is an illegal act that she has done. I will oppose any such move. The project is near completion now with funds from a central project,” Khaira said as he was arrested.

The Congress legislator had been arrested last year too on flimsy charges of stealing tarpaulin and disturbing peace. The case was later cancelled.

Khaira alleged that the Kapurthala district administration and the Punjab police had connived with Jagir Kaur in “the illegal act”.