Keeping in view the record of violent clashes between political rivals in Rampura Phul assembly segment in the past over one decade, the district police might have to take extra precaution to maintain law and order in the area in view of the rally to be organised by the Congress on Tuesday at Rampura Phul. The rally will be addressed by Amritsar MP and former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh.
Though, police officials do not agree on record that a tense atmosphere existed in the area, yet it has been learnt that the mood in the constituency, especially in villages, remained sharply polarised ahead of the rally with heightened activity of Congressmen in mobilising the people to the rally venue.
Significantly, it is the first major rally being organised by former MLA and Congress' Malwa zone in-charge Gurpreet Singh Kangar after the 2012 assembly polls to show his strength in the constituency being represented by his arch political rival rural development and panchayats minister Sikander Singh Maluka.
The Congress had boycotted the polls to the civic bodies under the assembly segment in February. Though the Congress had said the poll boycott was against the false implication of the Congressmen in a murder case, yet the fear of violence and unwillingness of Congressmen to come forward to contest the polls was also seen as a reason behind the boycott.
A supporter of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) was shot dead outside the court complex in Rampura Phul when a clash took place between SAD workers and members of a group, led by PPP leader Lakhbir Singh 'Lakha Sidhana', who had been arrested in this connection.
In another recent incident, a Congress supporter was allegedly murdered in Phoolewala village in May last year in the post-poll violence after parliamentary elections. Three SAD workers were arrested on murder charges after Congress supporters made a hue and cry over the incident.
A supporter of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) was shot dead outside the court complex in Rampura Phul when a clash took place between SAD workers and members of a group, led by PPP leader Lakhbir Singh 'Lakha Sidhana', who had been arrested in this connection.
In another recent incident, a Congress supporter was allegedly murdered in Phoolewala village in May last year in the post-poll violence after parliamentary elections. Three SAD workers were arrested on murder charges after Congress supporters made a hue and cry over the incident.
In addition to this, violence was also witnessed in panchayat polls in 2013 in villages under the constituency. Also, violence had marred the constituency during the last assembly polls as well.
"Though it is not an election season, yet the heightened political activity under this sensitive constituency when leaders are preparing ground for the 2017 assembly polls provides ground for the unlikely situation," said a police official. Meanwhile, Kangar, during a press conference on Monday, when asked about any such apprehension, said that if the ruling alliance resorts to any pressure tactics, the Congress would not tolerate that. Deputy superintendent of police, Phul, Gurjeet Singh Romana, denied any law and order apprehension and said that everything was going on smoothly in the area.