MOGA, January 30: Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President Capt Amarinder Singh today sought the deployment of central security forces at Moga for the entire electioneering period beginning from the filing of the nominations right up to the day of counting. He said, the party will be writing to the Election Commission of India that the central security forces should not be deployed just for the purpose of polling, but the entire period of the election process.
Interacting with the media before assigning duties to the party leaders for the Moga byelection here today, Capt Amarinder maintained that the police in Punjab were under tremendous pressure and demoralised by the arm twisting attitude of the Akalis. Hence, he added, it may not be possible for them to act in a fair and impartial manner.
He pointed out, the way police have been treated by the Akalis with an ASI killed in Amritsar just because he objected to eve teasing of his daughter by an Akali leader, an AIG’s legs broken by the vice president of Youth Akali Dal and the everyday humiliation of the lower rung police officers like the SHOs by the Akalis leaders and their kin, it is very difficult to expect them not to submit to the Akalis’ diktats.
The PCC president said, the law and order was at its worst and economy was in a shambles having slid from 6thplace during the Congress regime in 2006 to 12thplace now under Akalis. He said, Akalis do not have a single issue on which they can claim the votes and all the people whether from urban or rural areas were upset and alienated by their mis-governance.
Later addressing the party leaders from across the state who had come to attend the meeting, Capt Amarinder said, Moga’s people were feeling cheated and deceived by the betrayal of Joginderpal Jain who had struck a business deal with the Akalis. He said, people of Moga wanted to teach him a lesson and Congress had provided them the best alternative in Vijay Sathi, who has been nominated as the party candidate for the Moga byelection.
The party presented a complete show of unity with all the party leaders being present. All other claimants of the party ticket from Moga including Punjab Mahila Congress president Malti Thapar, Darshan Brar, Jagdarshan Kaur, Jagroop Singh Takhatpura and others were present at the stage as PCC president introduced Vijay Sathi from the stage.
Addressing the meeting Congress working Committee member Jagmeet Singh Brar said, Joginderpal Jain had betrayed the trust of the people of Moga who elected him to the assembly continuously in a row.
Congress Legislative Party Leader Sunil Jakhar expressed confidence that the party will win Moga by a handsome margin as people were not only angry with Jain’s betrayal, but also upset with the government.
Among others present on the occasion included Rana Gurjeet, Rana KP Singh, Chaudhary Jagjeet, Chaudhary Santokh, Mohammad Sadiq, Laly Majithia, Tripat Bajwa, Harpratap Ajnala, Ajit Singh Shant, Gurdeep Singh Bhaini, Avatar Henry, Kikki Dhillon, Gurpreet Kangar, Fateh Jang Bajwa, Chiranji Lal Garg, Amarjit Singh Samra, Jasbir Dimpa, Karamjit RIntu, Raja Warring, Sukhbwinder Danny, Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Gurchet Bhullar, Vikram Chaudhary, Harminder Gill, Gur Iqbal Kaur Babli, Karan Brar, Love Kumar Goldy, Sukhmeet Kaka Lohgarh, Hardayal Kambhoj, Gurmail Pahalwan, Sham Sunder Arora, Hans Raj Josan, Satnam Kainth, Milkiat Singh Birmi, Lakhbir Lakha, Tarlochan Sondh, Tara Singh Sandhu and others.