Punjab Congress on Sunday condemned the reign of terror let lose by the Akalis on the Congress workers across the State. The party has warned the police against “blindly following the Akali diktats in persecuting and intimidating Congress workers so that they opt out of the contest”. It has, in fact, demanded immediate withdrawal of false case and release of all Congress workers who have falsely been implicated in a murder case in Meraj village of Rampura Phull in Bathinda district, otherwise, they would launch an agitation.
“It is shocking that the police in Meraj had booked Congress candidates of Meraj Nagar Panchayat for the murder of one of their own colleagues, a Congress worker, who was shot dead by the Akali goons outside tehsildar’s office in Rampura Phull on February 13, while the Congress candidates were filing their nomination papers inside the office,” said Congress Deputy leader in the lok Sabha Capt Amarinder Singh.
He said that instead of booking the culprits, seven of the Congress candidates were booked for murder which they never committed. “Not only have they let loose a reign of terror through the Akali goons by way of physical intimidation, the Akalis are misusing police to book the Congressmen for the crimes committed by the Akalis themselves,” he said, adding that this was obviously being done to create a sense of terror among the Congress supporters so that they leave the contest and Akalis are declared victorious.
The former Chief Minister cautioned the police against blindly doing Akalis’ biddings. “I am warning all those ultra-loyalist police and administration officials and telling them that 2017 is not that far and they will have to account for all their sins of omission and commission,” said Capt Amarinder. He said, in categorical terms, that in case the Congress workers falsely booked for murder of their own colleague were not released immediately and case withdrawn, he will launch an agitation from Meraj village itself.