Capt condemns ‘SAD violence’ against AAP
Monday, 05/09/2016
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Chandigarh : Punjab Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh on Sunday strongly condemned the violence and intimidation allegedly resorted to by workers of ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) during an Aam Aadmi Party rally in Malout.
“Such tendencies must be nipped in the bud as the electoral violence will be the worst thing that can happen to Punjab,” he warned after Saturday’sviolence.
Punjab goes to polls early next year.
“I am sure this must have been done personally at the behest of the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal who was also roaming around in the same district around the time,” Amarinder alleged in a statement here.
The PCC president said, this only reveals the frustration among the SAD, particularly the Badals and that is the reason that they were allegedly trying to intimidate their political opponents.
“Better fight them politically than using physical force,” he asked Badal, while warning against violent confrontation ahead of elections in the state.
The Congress leader, who is MP from Amritsar, reiterated his warning to the police “against playing partisan role”.
He asked them to ensure peace and safety of everyone participating in the political process.
“We are living in a democracy and not a dictatorship and everyone has a right to convey his message and express his point of view,” the former Chief Minister said, while asking the police to ensure that such things are not allowed to happen in future.
As many as 10 persons were injured in a clash between AAP and Shiromani Akali Dal supporters at a rally addressed by Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann in Malout in Muktsar on Saturday.
The clash took place when some youth Akali workers objected to Mann allegedly criticising senior SAD leaders Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Bikram Singh Majithia, police had said earlier.
The fight continued for a few minutes during which the supporters of the rival parties hurled chairs at each other.
AAP workers had claimed that SAD supporters started the fight first, a charge denied by the ruling outfit’s activists who instead blamed the supporters of the rookie party for the clash.
Condemning the disruption of the AAP rally at Malout, AAP’s national spokesperson Jarnail Singh had said here on Saturday that “with the growing support of AAP among masses, opposition parties have got frustrated and are adopting such tactics to create fear among AAP workers, who are courageous enough to give befitting reply to such tactics.”
‘List of candidates for polls not announced yet’
Chandigarh: Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh on Sunday denied the party has announced a list of candidates for the state elections next year reports of which are circulating in the social media, saying it is the handiwork of some “mischievous elements to create confusion.”
“Unlike other parties, Congress has a proper, transparent and well-established system and procedure for finalising the candidates,” he said, adding the list of applicants is still with the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) and is being scrutinised.
It will be submitted to the High Command within a week after which it will be referred to the screening committee and the final decision will be taken by the Central Election Committee (CEC) headed by the Congress president, Amarinder said.
Circulation of the purported list on social media was the handiwork of some mischievous elements who did not even seem to be familiar with Punjabi pronunciation of names, he alleged.
Amarinder said, the party will update everyone about the process and also the date when the list will be submitted to the High Command.
