Drama at Kharar counting centre

Tribune News Service

Mohali, September 22

High drama was witnessed at the counting centre set up in connection with zila parishad and block samiti elections at Khuni Majra village in Kharar here this evening.

Avtar Singh Mauli, the SAD candidate for Mauli Baidwan Block Samiti in Zone No. 16, alleged that he was thrashed by Amarjit Singh, aka Jeeti, younger brother of Punjab Cabinet Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu, also Mohali MLA, inside the counting centre.

Mauli alleged that Jeeti, along with his certain supporters, attacked him when the process of counting of votes was under way. He alleged that Jeeti and his acquaintances snatched votes from an official, who was counting them. When he (Mauli) raised an objection, they thrashed him, he added. He said his turban was tossed too.

Mauli claimed that he was leading at the time the alleged attack took place.

“I was thrashed and then pushed outside the centre by Jeeti and his supporters, who were more than 20 in number,” alleged Mauli, adding that all drama took place in front of senior officials of the Mohali police and the local administration. However, nobody interfered for obvious reasons, he alleged. After the incident, Mauli, along with other Akali leaders, went to the Kharar-Landran highway and blocked it for around half an hour to lodge his protest against the incident.

Later, senior officials of the Mohali police pacified them, following which they lifted the blockade. 

On the other hand, Balbir Singh Sidhu and his brother Jeeti termed the allegations levelled by Mauli as baseless and false. They alleged that Akalis indulged in hooliganism. “They (Akalis) were first creating problems in the vote counting centre and then started levelling false allegations when we objected to their illegal act,” said Sidhu. 

Sri Anandpur Sahib MP Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra said Congress men showed their real face by indulging in hooliganism at various counting centres today. “The incident of beating up our (Akali) contestant by Balbir Sidhu’s brother and his supporters is a proof of hooliganism. People will teach them a lesson in the upcoming Lok Sabha poll,” he said, adding that complaints regarding Mauli’s thrashing have been submitted with the police, the administration and the EC. “The police, who are being pressured by the minister, have not initiated any action on the complaint so far,” alleged Mauli. 

The charge

Avtar Singh Mauli, SAD candidate, alleged that he was thrashed and then pushed outside the centre by Amarjit Singh and his supporters, who were more than 20 in number. The drama took place in front of senior officials of the Mohali police and the local administration. However, nobody interfered for obvious reasons, he added.

The denial

Cabinet Minister and Mohali MLA Balbir Singh Sidhu and his brother Amarjit Singh (pic) termed the allegations levelled by Avtar Singh Mauli as baseless and false. They alleged that Akalis indulged in hooliganism. “They (Akalis) were first creating problems in the vote counting centre and then started levelling false allegations when we objected to their illegal act,” said Sidhu.