Punjab News Express/Sameer Kaura
PHAGWARA: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today said that the announcement of Laadi Sherowalia as Congress candidate for Shahkot Bye-Election has proved that Congress' commitment to promote Mining Mafia in the state.
Tarun Chugh, the national secretary of the BJP, said "The collective decision of AICC chief Rahul Gandhi, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and PCC president Sunil Jakhar to field Laadi Sherowalia in the crucial bye-poll has exposed the Congress which had been shying away from admitting that it was patronizing the sand mafia in the state."
He said that the Congress, which had come into power with the claim to fight all the mafias including the mining mafia has not only surrendered to the mafia but was encouraging its own leaders to emerge as parallel mafia.
"Laadi, who deserves to be in jail for his role in illegal mining is now preparing to step into Vidhan Sabha with the blessings of Rahul Gandhi, Capt Amarinder Singh and Sunil Jakhar, " Chugh said adding that the Congress first ignored a sting putting a big question mark on the candidature of Laadi and was now all set to trash a FIR registered under the Mining Act.
Chugh however claimed that the Congress won't be able to fool the people of the state and particularly the electorate of Shahkot. He said the voters will give a crushing defeat to the Congress candidate and punish the party for fielding such a candidate.
The BJP ledaer said that Rahul, who was talking of morality in Karnataka elections was signing to allot ticket to big fish in illegal mining. He alleged that Capt Amarinder Singh had used his influence in favour of Laadi Sherowalia just to please former minister Rana Gurjit Singh just to strengthen the mining mafia in the state.
Commenting on the drama after the FIR, chugh said the Mehatpur SHO had followed the instructions of Election Commission but the government was pressurising him to cancel the FIR.
Chugh urged the police authorDities and district administration to act as per the law and arrest Laadi Sherowalia on the basis of the FIR registered against him.