Writers, literary bodies and farmer, farm labour, employee and democratic organisations staged a large protest outside the residence of Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan here on Wednesday, demanding heritage status for the Pash Hans Raj Memorial Complex and the arrest of a sarpanch and his supporters accused of attacking labour leader Harmesh Malri.The protesters alleged that Talwandi Salem sarpanch Pradeep Singh and his associates had attacked Malri and his companions and hurled casteist slurs at them when they visited the village to prepare for a function marking the birth anniversary of revolutionary poet Avtar Pash.They alleged that the sarpanch and his supporters, acting at the behest of Nakodar AAP MLA Inderjit Kaur Mann, were continuing their attempts to take over the memorial complex for “narrow caste and political interests”.The speakers said the police had registered a case under the SC/ST Act and other sections only a month after the incident, following protests by writers and democratic groups. However, no arrests had been made so far, they said, adding that the complex had also not been granted heritage status.Supporting the Punjab bandh called over the killing of anti-drug campaigner Parvinder Singh Jhota, the organisers announced that the dharna planned for October 15 outside Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s residence in Sangrur had been postponed for the time being.A resolution passed by a show of hands condemned the police action against students protesting in Delhi against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demanded the restoration of the democratic right to protest. It also called for the arrest of Jhota’s killers and their alleged political and administrative patrons.Those who addressed the gathering included Progressive Writers Association representatives Harmeet Vidyarthi and Jaspal Mankhera; Kendri Punjabi Lekhak Sabha (Sekhon) representative Dr Surjit Brar; BKU Ekta Ugrahan senior vice-president Jhanda Singh Jethuke and women’s wing leader Harinder Bindu; Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union president Zora Singh Nasrali; and Malri.DTF state secretary Resham Singh Khemuana, PSU leader Harvir Kaur Gandhar, Pulse Manch’s Jagsir Jida, Tarksheel Society’s Ram Swaran Lakhewali and Krantikari Pendu Mazdoor Union’s Sikandar Singh Ajitgill also addressed the gathering.