On a two-day visit to poll-bound Punjab to review preparedness for free and fair assembly elections, a top delegation of the Election Commission of India on Wednesday met the representatives of various political parties and heard their complaints.
In what may bring trouble to the comedian-turned-politician Bhagwant Mann, the representatives of the ruling SAD-BJP combine has complained against him for “inciting” people by giving provocative speeches against other party leaders.
The opposition party leaders, including the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Communist Party of India (CPI), CPI (Marxist), SAD (Amritsar), has demanded from the ECI delegation, led by Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi, to deploy more of central forces in Punjab, which is going for polls on February 4.
Zaidi, accompanied by Election Commissioners AK Joti and OP Rawat, gave patient hearing to all political parties in a series of meetings.
The ruling SAD leader Charanjit Singh Brar represented the party and demanded action against AAP leader Bhagwant Mann for making inflammatory statements. The party also urged the ECI to act against state director General of Police (DGP) Mohammad Mustafa for trying to coerce the voters.
The party filed two separate complaints along with video proofs.
Brar alleged that Mann had openly incited people to throw stones at senior leaders of the SAD and Congress parties and had even admitted the same during a television interview.
Asking for an urgent inquiry into the matter, Brar said that Mann had made such speeches with the sole intention of disturbing peace in the state.
The party alleged that DGP Mohammad Mustafa, whose wife has earlier served as an MlA and is the favourite for Congress ticket from Malerkotla, is not attending the office and campaigning in favour of her wife.
Brar alleged that he was coercing voters to support her candidature, and according to reports received from SAD’s Malerkotla candidate Mohammad Owais, DGP Mustafa was openly roaming around in the constituency to canvas for votes for the Congress.
Representing the BJP, Advisor to the Deputy Chief Minister Vineet Joshi appealed the Commission to manage free and fair elections in the state. Joshi apprised the poll watchdog regarding AAP’s Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann’s latest statements and asking people to protest against the SAD leaders while campaigning in their respective areas. He expressed concern that there could be conspiracy of AAP leaders in the occurring violence incidents in the state as an incident of pelting shoe on the Punjab Chief Minister in lambi.
AAP, at the same time, demanded more and more deployment of central forces, and less number of Punjab police personnel as the state police force was acting under the influence of its ruling masters.
It also urged the ECI to issue strict instructions to stop the misuse of state government machinery, and abide by the rules of mode of code conduct in the state.
CPI Punjab unit member secretary Gurnam Singh urged the Commission that polls be conducted under the observance of para military forces and to impose complete check on the use of narcotic drugs.
CPM office secretary Ranjit Singh requested the Commission to tighten the security arrangements during the polls. He urged that Punjab elections be held under the supervision of paramilitary forces and demanded proper ban on drugs.
Democratic Swaraj Party leader Prof Manjit Singh brought to the notice of the Commission that election stationery or documents were very costly, and should be delivered on genuine rates. He also condemned the “violent” statements of Bhagwant Mann.
SAD (Amritsar) office secretary Ranjit Singh Cheema demanded ‘Gudda’ as election symbol for their panthic front while also appealing to manage latest EVM machines for fair polls.