Sri Muktsar Sahib , October 8, 2024 (Yes Punjab News)
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today led a party ‘dharna’ at the deputy commissioner’s office here to protest against the rejection of nominations of party workers post scrutiny of papers and demanded that criminal cases be registered against the guilty officials.
The SAD president, who led a huge dharna at the deputy commissioner’s office here, said “government officials have made a mockery of democracy by dancing to the tunes of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ministers and legislators.
Such officers should be brought to book”. He also issued an ultimatum to the district administration to revise its lists and ensure candidates whose papers were in order were not denied an opportunity to contest the panchayat elections.
A memorandum in this regard was handed over to the Additional Deputy Commissioner as the Deputy Commissioner proceeded on leave to escape the wrath of the SAD workers.
The party has also decided to hold a dharna in Gidderbaha on October 10 to protest against the murder of grass root democracy by AAP.
Earlier speaking at the dharna during the course of which aggrieved applicants for posts of Sarpanches and Panches showed him their papers, Mr Sukhbir Badal said “this is the first time in the history of Punjab that a ruling dispensation has decided to throttle the voice of the opposition”.
Asserting that applicants from 25 villages whose nomination papers had been rejected unjustly were already on the roads, Mr Badal said “this will prove costly for AAP and will result in its loss in Gidderbaha and other places in the forthcoming by-elections besides a complete rout in the next assembly elections”.
Assuring the applicants who have been victimized at the hands of AAP ministers and legislators, Mr Badal said “we will take up your cases with the State Election Commission and the Punjab and Haryana high court”.
Stating that Punjab was leaderless at this crucial juncture, the SAD president said “chief minister Bhagwant Mann has been completely sidelined by the party’s high command and Arvind Kejriwal has become the de facto chief minister of the State”. He said Kejriwal had removed all OSDs aligned with Bhagwant Mann had had packed the chief minister’s office with his own staff.
Mr Badal also spoke on how the SAD and former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal had ushered in development in the entire area. “Earlier before the advent of Badal Sahab you could not travel even the short duration between Muktsar and Malout”.
He said the SAD not only improved the road network in the area but also revolutionized agricultural practices besides providing free power to farmers and bringing in novel social welfare schemes like old age pension, aata – daal and shagun which had helped the under privileged to stand on their feet.
Urging the people to support the SAD in the forthcoming by-elections in the State, Mr Badal said “both the Congress and AAP have betrayed you while the SAD has a stellar record of keeping its word and ushering in record development and ensuring the welfare of all sections of society”.
Senior party leader Kanwarjit Singh Barkandi also gave a stirring speech on the occasion and assured the SAD president that party workers would not be cowed down at any cost. EOM
