GIDDERBAHA: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today demanded cancellation of the ongoing Panchayat elections which have been marred with rampant illegalities and oppression against opposition candidates and holding of fresh elections to save democracy at the grass root level.
Addressing a massive dharna in front of the SDM office here, the SAD president appealed to all applicants whose candidature for the panchayat elections was rejected by the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) dispensation on one pretext or another, to approach the party’s Legal Cell or submit their complaints at party offices so that they could be taken up for redressal in the high court.
Mr Sukhbir Badal also announced that the SAD was committed to fighting for restoration of grass root democracy irrespective of party affiliations. He also asserted that the SAD would ensure all AAP ministers and legislators as well as officers who had murdered democracy, would be held accountable for their actions. “We will work to get cases registered against such elements”, he added.
Mr Sukhbir Badal also welcomed the high court decision under which elections to all villages covered under 270 petitions had been stayed. He also ridiculed the AAP government for claiming that 3, 800 Sarpanches and 49, 000 Panches had been elected unanimously. “The truth is that this unanimity was forced by AAP functionaries and this is why we have demanded that the election be held afresh”.
Asserting that he had never seen such oppression of the opposition during his forty year political journey, Mr Badal said “it is for the first time that lists were revised after submission of nomination papers and completion of scrutiny to deny opposition candidates the right to contest the elections”. He also charged AAP ministers and MLAs of engaging in corruption by taking money for submission of papers as well as ensuring “unanimous” election of candidates.
Stating that this highhandedness would cost AAP dear in the forthcoming Gidderbaha by-election, Mr Badal said “I assure you that I am committed to maintaining S Parkash Singh Badal’s legacy in this constituency. From today please consider me as your Sarpanch and legislator. Mr Badal directed me to look after this constituency during his last day and I consider the people of this constituency as part of my family. If you are troubled I feel I am troubled and I will work assiduously for removing all your grievances”.
Mr Badal also spoke on how the former chief minister had developed the constituency. “Badal Sahab gave you tubewell connections, installed lift pumps to irrigate your fields, removed water logging and revolutionized the education and health sectors in this constituency besides creating Mandis and Focal Points”. Today the entire infrastructure is in disarray with both the Congress and AAP governments ignoring Gidderbaha.
He also spoke on how the people could not expect anything from a lame duck chief minister. He said AAP Convener Arvind Kejriwal had snatched away the powers of Bhagwant Mann and installed his personal assistant in the chief minister’s office in Chandigarh by giving him a cabinet rank. He said people, who were already suffering on account of gangsters and the drug mafia, would be put to even more misery now.
Senior leaders present on the occasion included Kanwarjit Singh Rosy Barkandi, Harpreet Singh Kotbhai, Tejinder Singh Middukhera, Rajwinder Singh Dharamkot, Preet Inder Singh Sammewali, Raghvir Singh Pardhan and Gurpal Singh Gora