Alleging complete collapse of the official and administrative machinery, Congress Legislative Party leader Sunil Jakhar today declared that the party would not allow the assembly to function until the Punjab government tendered an apology over its "failure to carry out free and fair local elections".
Jakhar had come to meet former Congress MLA from Ghannaur Madan Lal Jalalpur who is presently on judicial remand in Patiala Central Jail on the charges of causing disturbance in electoral processes during municipal council polls in Ghanaur.
He said that the Congress would oppose this "murder of democracy" by SAD-BJP in the ensuing Punjab budget session.
"In the session starting from June 19, we will make sure the big-wigs of the government tender an apology. The ruling alliance seems to be in some sort of hallucination after their trick victories in the polls, and we will give them a befitting and determined reply," said the Congress leader.
He alleged that the Punjab police have taken full control of the situation and the cops were working as Akali workers.
"Punjab police is actually Akali workers in Khakhi uniform who are implementing the whimsical dictates of the Akali leaders. This is not the way to conduct an election and seek public mandate. What is the point of conducting elections when you intimidate workers and contestants and force them to withdraw?" said Jakhar.
{{/usCountry}}"Punjab police is actually Akali workers in Khakhi uniform who are implementing the whimsical dictates of the Akali leaders. This is not the way to conduct an election and seek public mandate. What is the point of conducting elections when you intimidate workers and contestants and force them to withdraw?" said Jakhar.
{{/usCountry}}"Had the elections for the civic bodies been free and fair, Akalis would have found it difficult to secure even a single seat in Patiala. Their preparedness is not in wooing the voter, but in intimidating and scaring away them to highjack electoral process," said Jakhar.