Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Chandigarh, September 18 – A joint Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) – Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delegation today urged Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore dismiss the Congress government for violating its oath of office by conspiring with radical elements bent on dividing the country besides getting a CBI inquiry conducted to unmask the conspiracy to destabilize peace and communal harmony in Punjab.
The joint SAD-BJP delegation, which was led by SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and BJP State president Shwet Malik, also urged the Governor to direct the State government to take strict action against self styled Jathedars who were dancing to the tune of anti-national forces and conspiring to push the State back into an era of darkness.
It also urged the Governor to warn the Congress government that it was playing with fire by inciting religious sentiments by supporting and colluding with radical elements. The delegation requested the Governor to direct the Congress government not to create a false religious conflict, saying this would be detrimental to the hard won peace of Punjab.
The delegation also brought it to the notice of the Governor that the Congress government had failed to implement the orders of the Punjab and Haryana high court which had directed it to ensure adequate security for the September 16 SAD Jabar Virodh rally. It said vehicles of SAD workers returning back from the rally were attacked by radicals and the police remained a mute spectator to these incidents.
Briefing Shri Badnore about the SAD-BJP memorandum submitted to him, SAD president Sukhbir Badal said the Congress government was not only trying to muzzle the voice of democracy in the State through repressive Emergency like dictates like banning rallies, but also playing a dangerous game to weaken the SAD and Sikh institutions like Sri Akal Takth and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) in league with radical elements. He said even though the high court had given appropriate relief to the SAD and upheld democratic values; the Congress government had allowed separatists to hold sham protests under police protection in Faridkot on the day of the September 16 rally. He said police also remained a mute spectator when SAD activists and vehicles were attacked by the same extremist elements.
State BJP president Shwet Malik urged the Governor to nip the conspiracy to destabilize Punjab in the bud without further ado. He said peace in the State had been destroyed once earlier in the same manner by inciting communal passions. “We cannot allow Punjab to slip into an era of darkness again”, he added.
The SAD-BJP delegation also apprised the Governor about the goondaism unleashed by the Congress party to capture the block samitis and zila parishads in the State which go to the polls on September 19. The delegation said Akali candidates were not allowed to file their papers at many places and there were incidents of firing, closing of gates of government offices to prevent entry of Akalis and even snatching and destruction of nomination papers. It said the situation had become such that Congress men were even intimidating and attacking government officials who did not obey their illegal orders. “All this has been brought to the notice of the State Election Commission (SEC) but it has woefully failed to take any corrective action to ensure free and fair elections to panchyati raj bodies”, the delegation members said while calling for dismissal of the State Election Commissioner for working like a Congress agent.
In view of these facts, the delegation urged the Governor to direct the Congress government to order registration of a criminal case and immediate arrest of the Congress legislators and their kin and supporters who attacked Moga Additonal Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Jagwinderjit Singh Grewal. It also urged for deployment of para-military forces and videography of all polling booths by the SEC to ensure free and fair elections. It also demanded that elections be called off at all places where opposition candidates were not allowed to file nominations or their nomination papers were destroyed or rejected unfairly and be held separately on a fresh date.
