The politics over the attack on an advocate, who filed a complaint with the Election Commission against senior BJP leader and State Cabinet Minister Anil Joshi for obtaining two voter IDs, is heating up.
A day after some people attacked Vineet Mahajan and a case was registered against the co-complainant Sandeep Gorsi, the main opposition Congress left no chance to attack on the ruling combine by dubbing the same as “classic examples of extreme goondaraj in Punjab.The party has demanded registration of a first information report (FIR) against the State local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi. Besides, the State party chief Partap Singh Bajwa too demanded Joshi’s “immediate arrest in the case of murderous attack on Amritsar lawyer Vineet Mahajan, who had earlier filed a case against him relating to his dual vote”.
Bajwa, on behalf of the Congress party, also urged the Election Commission of India and the State Chief Electoral Officer to direct the police to take immediate action against Joshi as he had no faith in the State administration. “Moreover, it is under jurisdiction of the ECI till the declaration of results on May 16,” he added.The party demanded that besides arresting Joshi, the case registered against Gorsi and the Congress councillor Gurinder Rishi, should be withdrawn immediately.
“The ruling alliance is failing to learn any lesson from the anger vented out by the people in the State during the lok Sabha elections against lawlessness and goondaism prevailing in the State patronised by the ruling alliance leaders… Joshi is now trying to scuttle voices of two lawyers who exposed his grave irregularity. This is not acceptable in a democratic set up,” said Bajwa.
Bajwa declared that the Congress party would force action against Joshi “by mobilising people”, warning that instead of being a mute spectator to their atrocities, the party men would take to streets and immobilise the administration.“Registration of an attempt to murder case against Gorsi and a pre-planned attack on the other complainant Vineet Mahajan and his brother are perfect and classic example of goonda and jungle raj prevailing in Punjab...It goes to show how powerful Ministers can twist the arms of law to intimidate, threaten and coerce ordinary people or complainants not to pursue matters against them,” said party spokesperson Sukhpal Khaira.
Alleging “Joshi-police-mafia nexus”, Khaira said while police registered “a false criminal case against advocate Gorsi at the drop of the hat on the asking of a front man of the Minister, the police are dragging its feet to take any concrete action against goondas who attacked the Mahajan brothers in broad day light”.
The party demanded a judicial probe “into the planned conspiracy hatched by Joshi, Police Commissioner JS Aulakh and the fake complainant Bhardwaj to concoct a false case against Gorsi and to bring to book the culprits of assault on the Mahajan brothers”. Khaira said that in case the Government failed to take immediate corrective measures, “I urge my party leadership to converge upon Amritsar and go in for an indefinite dharna against the high handedness of the police machinery, till the time justice is rendered in the matter.”