The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Sunday slammed the Congress party for misusing civil and police machinery to capture booths during the Punjab Civic Body Polls to intimidate voters. The SAD leader said that the Congress goons not only captured booths but also attacked opposition candidates and their supporters.
In a statement, SAD spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema said, “The SAD had already cautioned the State Election Commission (SEC) about how democracy had been murdered in the runup to the municipal polls and how Congress goons were expected to indulge in booth capturing and other unfair practices today.” An FIR was registered against Gauravdeep Singh Valtoha, son of senior SAD leader Virsa Singh Valtoha, and five others,”
SAD minister condemns Congress
Describing the law and order situation in the state, the Former Minister said that despite the warning, no concrete steps were taken to control the situation and ensure free and fair elections in the state. Cheema informed that the FIR was filed against SAD senior leader’s Gauravdeep Singh Valtoha and five others. However, the Congress goons fired gunshots in Patti in Tarn Taran district. Booths were captured in Mukatsar, Rajpura, Samana, Sultanpur Lodhi, Dinanagar, Ferozepur, Bhikiwind, he added. Also, police raided the house of SAD candidates, Jaswinder Kaur and registered a case against 13 members.
Shiromani Akali Dal accuses Congress of misusing civil and police machinery
The leader alleged, “The SEC also failed to ensure videography at sensitive places which resulted in large scale booth capturing. The Congress party had repeated what it had done in the Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections because it knew it had lost the confidence of the people after failing to fulfill any of the promises made to them. The party was even jitterier in the municipal elections because it knew that all facilities were in shambles and people were suffering due to a 30% increase in power tariff and other taxes.”
The SAD leader said in his statement that the Congress goons have dismantled the law and order, they tossed turbans of SAD workers and let loose a reign of terror but cases were registered against the victims. Cheema has filed a complaint with all details with SEC and had demanded countermanding of elections at all places where there had been large scale booth capturing and violent incidents.
Source: Republic World
