Hooliganism by AAP in polls has shamed democracy: Chandumajra

Senior leader of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Organised) and former MP Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra said that the hooliganism and high-handedness committed by the ruling party during Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad elections has brought shame to democracy in the state.

He said that this intimidation, carried out on the directions of the state government, has raised serious questions about the democratic system. Prof Chandumajra said that such practices adopted by the AAP party will also destroy the spirit of mutual harmony among the people in the villages.

Prof Chandumajra said that in the presence of the administration, leaders of the AAP party openly snatched files from candidates' hands and tore them apart- even shredding their original certificates. Yet the Punjab Police remained silent spectators. He said that the hooliganism carried out by the government in the local elections is a direct violation of the country's Panchayati Raj Act 1992. In view of this, it is necessary for the Election Commission to take strict notice. On this occasion, Prof. Chandumajra also referred to an audio clip of the Patiala SSP circulating on social media, in which the district police chief can be heard blatantly favouring the ruling party while disregarding the law.

Prof Chandumajra appealed to all political parties to allow candidates to contest local elections without party-reserved election symbols. He said that political parties forcing workers to contest lower-level elections using party symbols turns them into captives-a tradition that must end. He added that the original purpose of local elections in the country was to cultivate new political leadership from the grassroots, but today political parties violate all legal boundaries and, through fear and coercion, impose their own candidates.

The government's hooliganism and bullying, he said, destroy the true objective of the Panchayati Raj system. Chandumajra said that Punjab is currently facing a leadership crisis. Political parties have closed all avenues for future leadership development.

As a result, all routes for developing future leadership have been completely blocked. Senior leaders Gurpartap Singh Wadala, Manjit Singh (SGPC member) and Surjit Singh Cheema (former SGPC member) were present with him.