Punjab BJP writes to EC, seeks immediate transfer of officers who are working as agents of Congress

Kalia demands deployment of paramilitary forces and videography of polling booths in Gurdaspur
Chandigarh, October 6, 2017: In the wake of upcoming Gurdaspur parliamentary bypoll, Punjab BJP today wrote to the Election Commision of India demanding immediate transfer of officers who are working as agents of the Congress pressurizing the people to vote for the ruling party. The BJP has also sought deployment of paramilitary forces and videography of polling booths for the bypoll. In a letter addressed both to the Chief Election Commissioner of India and Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, former Punjab BJP president Manoranjan Kalia said that the ruling Congress party in the state was using state machinery to threaten its political opponents and the voters.

In his letter, Kalia sought deployment of paramilitary forces in each and every booth of the constituency and videography of all booths. Kalia also demanded that all the officers who happen to be from Gurdaspur parliamentary constituency should be immediately shifted out of the area.

Stating that the Congress was using state machinery for political gains, Kalia said, “The ruling Congress party has broken all records of violations of model code of conduct in order to grab the Gurdaspur seat by hook or crook. We have brought to your kind notice a number of instances where ruling Congress party is misusing government machinery. The local police are being used to threaten the political opponents.”

Kalia in his letter named certain police and administrative officials who are who are openly campaigning for the Congress and pressurizing BJP’s supporters to support the ruling party, demanding they be shifted out of the constituency immediately. Kalia said, “We have been informed that many other officers who belong to Gurdaspur parliamentary constituency and who should have been posted out as per the instructions of ECI, have also managed to retain their place of posting with the connivance of district administration. The Commission should verify once again to ensure that no officer belonging to the same Parliament and who is on any responsible position which may influence the electorate, should be allowed to stay in the Parliamentary Constituency”.

Kalia also mentioned the incidents wherein Congress workers disrupted a poll rally of the SAD-BJP at Hanuman Chowk and had threatened former Cabinet Minister Bikram Singh Majithia on his visit to Village Dharowali in Dera Baba Nanak. “All this is happening because of laxity being shown by the District Police and Civil Administration and instigation by local Congress leaders. An immediate enquiry may be ordered so that true facts may come out”, said Kalia.

Kalia also said that the BJP has got “very sensitive information from our sources that the ruling Congress party has planned to book our polling agents in false cases just before the conduct of elections and arrest them so that they can do booth capturing”. This is more expected in Dera Baba Nanak assembly constituency, he said.