Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Chandigarh, Strongly condemning the unabashed goondaism unleashed by the Akalis, the Punjab Congress President Mr Partap Singh Bajwa today demanded that the election process for the nagar council election should be restarted in Guru Harsahai by declaring the present nominations as null and void.
In a statement, Mr Bajwa took strong note of this new trend resorted to by the Akalis of not allowing the Congress candidates to file their nominations. The Akalis did not vacate the office of the returning officer who had packed the office earlier in the day and the Congress candidates could not even go near the office to file their nominations.
Congress MLA Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi who led the contingent of his party candidates was not allowed to enter the complex of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate to file their nominations by the police on the plea that the place was jam-packed. He said Mr Sodhi had informed the police in advance about their programme to file nominations at a particular time.
He called upon the State Election Commission to cancel the election process and announce fresh schedule while making arrangements that such a situation was not repeated. He described it as a murder of democracy by the ruling Akali Dal in Guru Harsahai and made it clear such tactics would not be allowed by the Congress. He said this was an indication of the extent the Akalis could go to.
He said the main issues on which the Congress would fight the elections, besides other local issues, were the property tax and the increasing menace of drugs which threaten the very future of the state itself.
He said it was strange that the Bharatiya Janata Party, after having become vocal on the drug issue, had suddenly backtracked. It was clear that the BJP too had become a partner in this nefarious design targeted at destroying Punjab, he added.
