The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) – Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today demanded immediate countermanding of the Patiala Corporation elections citing gross poll code violations in all wards of the city even as it demanded a high level inquiry into violence and rigging done by Congressmen and registration of cases against civil and police officials who acting like Congress agents.A SAD-BJP delegation submitted a memorandum to State Election Commissioner Jagpal Singh Sandhu in this regard and also sat in a dharna outside his office when he failed to take any action even after photographic and vidoegraphic evidence of blatant rigging and violence in Patiala, the home town of chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh, as well as other parts of the State was brought to his notice.Former minister Dr Daljit Singh Cheema, who led the SAD-BJP delegation, said the Congress had murdered democracy in the State by using the police force to commit atrocities on Akali-BJP cadre and the State Election Commission (SEC) had encouraged them by refusing to take any action against Congress goons as well as officers who were hand in glove with them.
Castigating the SEC for failing to perform its duty, the Akali-BJP delegation said it seemed the SEC was under government pressure. It said even Observers had teamed up with the Congress party and failed to report incidents of violence and booth rigging. “This has vitiated the entire election process”, the delegation members including BJP Secretary Vineet Joshi said adding the party would now take recourse of democratic protest as well as legal remedy.The SAD-BJP delegation said its apprehensions about incidents of repression and booth capturing during the local body polls came true today with Congressmen taking over booths across the State after attacking Akali-BJP workers with the assistance of the police force. They said even women and media persons were not spared and that transparent videography of the process as directed by the honorable high court had not been done.Giving details of incidents where SAD-BJP candidates and their family members and supporters were attacked by the Congressmen, Dr Cheema said a number of such incidents occurred in Patiala where even former SAD Mayor Amarinder Singh Bajaj was manhandled. He said in Mullanpur Dakha a SAD candidate’s mother was attacked and injured by Congress MLA Bharat Bhushan Ashu and Congress leader Dr. Karan Waring.
Similarly SAD polling agents were attacked by the Congressmen in Sahnewal who barged into their booths with a group of outsiders. In Ghanour when Akali-BJP supporters protested casting of fake votes they were thrashed by local mla Madan Lal Jalalpur’s son and his aides.Dr Cheema said SAD candidates and polling agents were threatened by a police official in Rajasansi and a booth of SAD candidate in ward number 5 was removed forcefully. He said even cabinet minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot was seen indulging in poll code violation at Amloh.The Akali leader said at Ghagga in Sangrur local police resorted to repressive acts by arresting SAD candidates Balwinder Singh and his wife Darshana Devi, both of whom were contesting from ward number 12 and 13 respectively and also detained BJP candidate Jarnail Singh. The Akali leader said when Akali leaders came to the aid of the beleaguered candidates they were beaten up by both Congressmen and police personnel which led to the death of Akali worker Mahinder Singh.Demanding stern action against elected representatives and workers of the ruling Congress, the SAD sought countermanding of elections at all places where the gross poll code violations include booth capturing and poll violence were reported.