S.P.Pandey ,Chandigarh, April 1, 2009 : National Secretary and spokesman of the BJP Mr Balbir Punj to day said that against the backdrop of failure on all fronts during its five year tenure, Congress party is making desperate efforts to divert the debate from developmental issues, and communalise the public discourse on the eve of elections to Lok Sabha. He said the Congress; has put its Dirty Tricks Department into action. A massive disinformation campaign has been launched by the party, organized efforts are being made to vitiate the atmosphere, garner votes on religious lines and to side-step debate on issues such as inflation, melt-down in the economy, unemployment, deteriorating security environment and record rampant corruption by the UPA Government during its five years rule at the centre.
He rued that the Election Commission of India took an unprecedented step of issuing an advisory to the BJP, asking the party not to make Mr.. Varun Gandhi a candidate in the Lok Sabha Elections. The entire case is based on a CD. Mr. Gandhi has repeatedly said that the said CD is doctored and tampered with. That the EC has jumped the gun in this case is self evident as the claim of Mr. Varun Gandhi has not been scientifically and convincingly verified. It is apparent that Election Commission is under pressure. If the election Commission behaves like this it will harm the democracy.
Mr Punja said a Constitutional body like the EC should go by the law and the constitution and not its own assumptions and fears.. By the so called advisory it has given, the EC has assumed that the impugned speech was really made by Varun and therefore it would have a ?demonstration effect? or even a domino effect. In the face of Varun?s denial, the EC should have taken the path of natural justice, the legally authorized investigating authority should have found out the truth about the speeches. Once the authenticity of the speech is established, the investigating authority could take a decision on its own to prosecute the accused man. Any disqualification would follow the court?s findings. This may take time but we either respect the law of the land for all or be damned by applying it selectively. Instead the EC has made itself the accuser, prosecutor and the judge and even the executioner, all rolled into one.
Mr. Punj said the subsequent events at Pilibhit are clearly a result of competitive vote bank politics between BSP and Congress. Not to be left behind, the BSP Government in Utter Pradesh has slapped charge under section 307 (attempt to murder), besides a case under section 153A and section 144. In fact all these cases were registered, without any basis whatsoever in order to prepare grounds to invoke NSA against Mr. Varun Gandhi. The charge of attempt to murder, under the present circumstances, is ridiculous and clearly smacks of political vendetta. He said the BSP is guilty of murder democracy in UP.
He referred to the Chandigarh case and said while addressing a largely Muslim congregation and leaders in Chandigarh on March 15 last, Mr Imrn kadwai, Chairman, AICC Minority Cell went to the extent of saying that he regretted not being a Mufti which would have enabled him to issue just one fatwa to muslims not to go with the BJP for going with the BJP would amount to committing kufr.
While exhorting the Muslim community, Mr Kidwai said that has the Muslim community not been with the Congress, India would not have been able to attain its independence. He further said that the personal law of the Muslims is Shariat law since Shariat is like Imaan (deep religious conviction, commitment) for the Muslims.
He said the statement by such a senior Congress party functionary seeking votes in the name of religion and making statements that endanger communal harmony between different communities is a clear and blatant violation of the election laws and code of conduct. This public function was held adjacent to the Jama Masjid in Sector 20 Chandigarh which is also a clear violation of the code of conduct for both – political parties and the candidates. senior Congress leader Smt Mohsina Kidwai, Shri Pawan Kumar Bansal, Minister in the UPA government and the official Congress candidate also addressed the same gathering and were present throughout the speech of Mr Kidwai the Congress Party has maintained a stoic silence on this issue and the Election commission has also not shown the same level of hyperactivity as it had shown in the case of Mr. Varun Gandhi. Mr Punj said that we shall fight against this injustice in courts as well as in the people?s court.
Punj exhorts party workers, leaders to ensure win of Mr Satya Pal Jain
Chandigarh April 1, 2009 ::
Addressing party workers and leaders at Kamalam, the Chandigarh state BJP office, Mr Balbir Punj, National spokesman and secretary of the party today asked party men to put differences, if any, on the backburner if they do not want to see Lalu, Mulayam Singh in the PM?s chair. He said every party grows on the strength of its ambitious leaders who want to do something for the people of the country. Mr Punj exhorted party workers and leaders to make best use of the next 41 days to ensure the win of Mr Satya Pal Jain. He said Congress party lead UPA is house divided and depleted and in no position to come back to power so the BJP must give a determined fight and come to power. Congress has lost several allies and those that remain with UPA, have their own prime-ministerial aspirants. Commenting on the five year rule of Congress party he said it has been a period when country suffered unprecedented terror attacks ? Mumbai was the culmination of that terror and the way Congress UPA government handled it is no credit to India.
Earlier party president Mrs Kamala Sharma welcoming Mr Punj said Chandigarh it witnessing a wave for change and party is receiving very positive response in rural areas too as people are angry with the Congress which has done nothing for the city sectors as also the rural areas. Mr Satya Pal Jain, BJP candidate for the Chandigarh parliamentary seat, referring to the Mauli Jagran episode he said it shows the frustration of Congress and is not an isolated incident, similar incidents happening at many places mean that party is not confident of its strength and support base. The meeting was attended by hundreds of party workers and leaders from all colonies, sectors and villages of Chandigarh UT.
Senior leaders present in the meeting of party workers and leaders included Mr Purshottam Mahajan, Mr Sanjay Tandon, Mr Jairam Joshi, Mr Ramvir Bhatti and Mr. Mata Ram Dhiman among others.
BJP government will restore family kerosene quota to 30 litres per month
Chandigarh April 1, 2009::
Speaking to residents of Sector 52 during his Parivartan Padyatra today Mr Satya Pal Jain said that on coming to power in the centre BJP /NDA government will restore the kerosene quota to 30 litres per family per month. The reduction in this quota by the Congress government has made life difficult for the poor people who don?t have gas connections. He promised that his party will ensure opening of kerosene depots at various places in Chandigarh so that nobody has to walk more then one kilometre for getting the common mans fuel. He said poor people are the worst sufferers of the congress regime during the last five years.
Mr Jain went from house to house asking for votes of sector residents in the early hours of the day. On his arrival in sector 52 Mr Jain was welcomed with the beats of drums and flowers, hundreds of sector residents walked along with Mr Jain. Mr Jain thanked the sector residents for their support and said he will endeavour to ensure that decisions regarding policies for the city are taken with participation of largest number of Chandigarh residents.
He said those who are promising cheap houses to people of Chandigarh today are the same people who are responsible for the biggest rise in prices of houses in Chandigarh. He reminded people that whenever congress comes to power prices go up and whenever congress is removed from power prices come down. He asked people to caste their votes in light of this experience.