Photo Source: Babushahi Network
Poll violence proves that police, Election Commission worked as a wing of Congress: Aman Arora
Harshabab Sidhu
Chandigarh, February 15, 2021: Reacting to the violence and booth capturing in some areas on the polling day of municipal bodies' elections, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) stated that it proved Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh's attempt of sabotaging the democratic process in the state.
Addressing the media during a press conference convened at the party headquarters here today, AAP senior leader and MLA from Sunam, Aman Arora said that the polling day on February 14, was a black day for democracy in Punjab.
He said that it was shameful as Captain Amarinder, being the home minister of the state, tried to loot the elections and murdered the democracy with the help of his goons.
"We demand the immediate resignation of Captain Amarinder Singh for failing in maintaining law and order in the state. Captain's shocking silence on the ensuing violence seems to tell us that Captain himself is guiding his goons to conduct these violent acts," said Arora while adding that the SEC not only remained a mute spectator but also participated in this unfair means of elections.
He said that all the incidents on the polling day proved that the State Election Commission (SEC) and the police worked as the wings of the Congress party.
He said that in Samana, Patran, Nabha, Patti, and Rajpura, booth capturing was done by the Congress goons. Accusing the officials, Arora said that the presiding officer assisted these goons and locked the gates of some polling station so that voters were not able to enter the polling station. Later, after the area was secured for the goons, they went about casting bogus votes.
He said that a video from inside the polling station was shared with the media and it showed how a Congress goon was pushing the Congress button again and again without any resistance from the officials.
"When our volunteers tried to protest against this hooliganism, they were beaten by the Congress goons in clear sight of the police," said Arora. He added that after learning about the same, AAP volunteers mobilized and rushed to stop the goons which led to a scuffle; during which one of the AAP volunteers Manveer Singh was shot at and injured.
Moreover, instead of arresting the goons who had entered the polling station with arms, the police detained AAP volunteer Laljit Bhullar after assaulting him, stating that they will not release him until the voting was done, he added. The AAP leader further said that similarly in Bathinda, Abohar, Fazilka, and Ferozepur, voters were kicked out of the polling stations and Congress goons were allowed to openly cast bogus votes. Arora said that in Kapurthala, goons of Rana Gurjit beat up general voters and volunteers of the Aam Aadmi Party, intimidating them not to vote.
Arora alleged that the DC of Kapurthala had released a report at 4 pm, stating that the voting turnover at Kapurthala was 62.16% but then a few hours later another report was released stating that the voting percentage was around 68.89%. “How did this 6% increase after 4 pm. Does the DC Kapurthala or the SEC have an answer to this," he said.
Lashing out at the CM, Arora said, "Why is Captain doing this? There is a clear and simple reason. Over the last few days, AAP got a tremendous response from the people of Punjab in their rallies. It showed that the people wanted change; they aspired for a better Punjab. This made Captain tremble."