Punjab Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh has written to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh seeking immediate dismissal of the Badal government and imposition of the President’s Rule in Punjab in the wake of the Nabha jail break incident.In a separate communication, Captain Amaridner has also written to Chief Election Commissioner Dr. Nasim Zaidi urging imposition of the Code of Conduct without further delay and holding of the Assembly elections under President’s Rule.In his letter to the home minister, the Punjab Congress president said that going by the trend of the incumbent government in the state, “with the elections coming close and with their chances of winning very meager, they would try to resort to polarization of communities.”Captain Amarinder cited the tearing of Guru Granth Sahib at Bargadi, followed by several similar incidents across Punjab, as well as the desecration of Bhagwad Gita and the Quran, to point to the growing attempts of the Badal government to polarize communities. He further noted that the public admission of the DGP that there were 52 armed gangs operating in the state with impunity had been proven on Sunday with the Nabha jail break. Such attempts to polarize communities are part of the Akali functioning, said Captain Amarinder, urging the home minister to dismiss the Badal government to preserve peace in the state. “Otherwise I believe this issue will escalate and lead to an explosive situation,” he warned.
In a similar vein, Captain Amarinder urged the Chief Election Commissioner to take serious note of the situation in Punjab and initiate immediate steps to impose the Code of Conduct and hold free and fair polls under President’s Rule. Stating that the Nabha jail break vindicated the earlier Congress stand of apprehension of violence in the state during the Assembly elections, Captain Amarinder said armed gangs had a free run of the state under the Badal regime, which has completely politicized the police forces.“It is more than evident that the current situation in Punjab is not conducive to the conduct of free and fair polls in the state. I apprehend that things will degenerate further as the election dates come closer, unless immediate steps are taken to check the worsening trend,” said Captain Amarinder.Seeking the CEC’s urgent intervention, Captain Amarinder said any delay in this regard will lead to further vitiation of the poll environment. “The democratic fabric of the state is at stake and only your immediate intervention can help save it for total annihilation,” he said.