Polling remains largely peaceful in dist

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, September 19

Barring a few incidents of violence at some highly sensitive booths in Rampura constituency, the Zila Parishad and Block Samiti elections went off well on Wednesday.

Till 2 pm, polling was recorded at 42 per cent. A firing incident was reported at Dullewala village in Rampura area.

The incident took place around 12 pm in the morning during a clash between Congress and SAD workers.

Even a video has been recorded by a villager in which persons suspected to be Congress workers are seen carrying sticks.

The video has already been given to the police and a probe has been initiated into the incident.

The persons damaged a Maruti 800 and Swift Dzire car at the village.

A child was also injured while she was running and came under a rashly driven car during the clash. She was taken to the Rampura Civil Hospital.

An eyewitness, on condition of anonymity, said “We don’t know what happened all of a sudden. Polling was going on since morning, but then a large number of persons with sticks and weapons in their hands came there and started beating up SAD workers.”

SAD senior leader and former minister Sikander Singh Maluka, along with party workers, staged a protest by blocking the Barnala-Bajakhana road, alleging booth capturing by Congress workers at Kangar, Bhairupa and Salabatpura villages in Rampura constituency.

While talking to Bathinda Tribune over phone, Sikander Singh Maluka alleged, “Congress workers threw our agents out of polling booth at these three villages and resorting to booth capturing.”

He alleged that the administration was playing into the hands of Congress leaders.

Maluka claimed that he had already brought it to the notice of the district administration in advance that Congress could create tension at three villages, but no action was taken to ensure free and fair elections.

Maluka alleged that Minister Gurpreet Singh Kangar was present at the polling station when Congress workers attacked SAD workers at Dullewala village and a Congressman opened fire.

The SAD leader said they had lodged a complaint with the Rampura DSP over these incidents and soon they would be meeting the Bathinda Range IGP and SSP, demanding registration of a case against the Congress workers and suspension of government officials who were hand in gloves with Congress leaders.

He added that as the administration was not listening to them, they were left with no option but to stage protest.

He termed today’s poll as murder of democracy by the Congress government.

Maluka has announced that SAD would stage a protest outside the DC office in Bathinda on Thursday at 11 am against the electoral malpractices by the Congress leaders.

However, the district administration has denied any such activities and said peaceful polling was conducted at Kangar and Salabatpura village in Rampura. Even the Bathinda SSP denied any firing incident at Dullewal village.

Kangar is the native village of Power Minister and MLA from Rampura, Gurpreet Singh Kangar.

SAD workers had blocked the road by parking their vehicles on the road. Police officials had to divert the traffic on this route through villages and link roads.

SAD lifted the dharna around 1 pm after which the route was opened for the public.

The protesters raised slogans against the Congress and Power Minister. Gurpreet Singh Maluka was also present during the protest.

Refuting the allegations, Power Minister Gurpreet Singh Kangar said fearing defeat SAD leaders were making false statements of booth capturing. They started protesting in the morning whereas only 35 per cent polling was held till noon, he added.

He said the reality was that the people were annoyed with SAD over sacrilege incidents.

Apart from this, booth capturing attempt was reported at Bangi village and a scuffle between SAD and Congress workers was reported at Amargarh village.