M A I N   N E W S

SAD men boycott poll in Gidderbaha
Cong workers accused of booth-capturing 
Tribune News Service

Killianwali (Muktsar), June 9
Accusing Congress workers of indulging in large-scale booth-capturing in connivance with the police during the panchayat samiti and zila parishad elections in the district, SAD workers today boycotted the poll in Gidderbaha and Malout areas after leaving booths before noon while the voting was going on.

The SAD workers decided to boycott the elections when Congress workers, accompanied by the police, entered the polling booths at Husnar, Butter Bakhua, Mudhir, Kotli Ablu, Ram Nagar, Dabwali Malko and Kot Bhai villages. The SAD leadership alleged that Congress workers, along with the police, had captured booths in various districts of Punjab.

A former Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, a former Union Minister, Mr Sukhbir Badal, and the MLA, Gidderbaha, Mr Manpreet Singh Badal, talking to TNS here today, alleged that SAD workers were left with no other option but to boycott the elections after the Congress government “crushed” democracy with the blatant use of government machinery, including the police.

Providing proof regarding the deletion of names of SAD workers from voter lists, they alleged that from day one, Congress leaders had been using the police to threaten SAD workers to not contest the zila parishad and panchayat samiti elections. The nomination papers of a major section of SAD workers, who dared to contest against all odds, were rejected on flimsy grounds, they alleged.

They said several senior SAD leaders, including SGPC members, had been threatened by the police that if they moved out for campaigning or exercised their franchise in favour of their candidates, opium and poppy husk would be planted on them, adding that the leaders were detained in their houses. In some of the villages, Akali workers were not allowed to set up their polling booths by the police, they alleged.

Mr Parkash Singh Badal pointed out that though the State Election Commission and other authorities concerned had been informed about the harassment of SAD workers and the rejection of their nomination forms, no action had been taken. He alleged that genuine SAD voters were not allowed to exercise their franchise, while Congress workers indulged in bogus voting with the help of the police and the polling staff. He stated that SAD would fight tooth and nail against these activities.

Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal alleged that Mr Bhupinder Singh, an election agent of the SAD candidate in Danewala village, had been arrested by the SHO on flimsy grounds to stop him from raising an objection against the bogus voting by Congress workers. He added that the whereabouts of some SAD workers were still not known as they had been forced to leave their village or detained at secret places by Congress workers in connivance with the police. He said the SAD workers who opposed the activities of Congress workers and the police were beaten up.

Mr K.J.S. Pannu, SSP, Muktsar, when contacted, said polling remained peaceful and no untoward incident was reported. He said no leader or any other person had lodged a complaint with him in connection with the alleged harassment of SAD workers and booth-capturing.