The Punjab Youth Congress on Monday staged a strong protest outside the residence of state BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon in Barnala over inflation and unemployment, and against the alleged ‘shudhikaran’ (purification) ceremony conducted by BJP activists at the venue where Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had addressed a rally in Uttarakhand.The protest was led by Punjab Youth Congress president Shuvam Sharma, with a large number of Youth Congress leaders and Congress workers from Barnala participating in the demonstration.During the protest, the demonstrators raised slogans against the Union Government over what they described as rising prices and growing unemployment. They alleged that the government’s policies had made life increasingly difficult for ordinary citizens.The protesters also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A large hoarding bearing the Prime Minister’s photograph, placed outside Dhillon’s residence, was smeared with ink by the protesters and later torn apart. They also burned an effigy of Modi.Shuvam Sharma said the protest reflected the anger among Punjab’s youth and ordinary people over issues affecting their daily lives.Kewal Dhillon, however, was not present at his residence on Monday.