Voting concluded in Punjab for 8 municipal corporations, 75 municipal councils and 20 nagar panchayats on Tuesday, largely peacefully, barring a few incidents of clashes and fights. The Congress has blamed the ruling Aam Aadmi Party for sporadic violence.
Violent Clashes Reported At Several Places
The most significant unrest occurred in Ward No. 19 of the Samana Municipal Council, where two factions clashed. During the incident, heavy stone-pelting ensued between the two groups, prompting the police to resort to a lathi-charge. A video also surfaced from the scene showing a police officer firing an AK-47 rifle. Reports indicate that one individual sustained injuries during the incident and was immediately rushed to a hospital. Police personnel, equipped with protective shields, were also observed throwing stones at the crowd. Both the Congress and the BJP have accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of engaging in hooliganism in this area.
Former Congress MLA Rajinder Singh alleged that members of the ruling party, the Aam Aadmi Party, were responsible for the hooliganism witnessed during these elections, accusing them of vandalising the tents set up by its opponents. The police used force to bring order to the area.
Candidates from all political parties, except the AAP, have submitted a letter to the Election Officer requesting cancellation of the election.
In Raikot, Punjab, the atmosphere during the Municipal Council elections became tense following reports of an attack on Jagdev Singh Jagga, the Congress candidate from Ward No. 4. The Congress has alleged that the attack was orchestrated by supporters of Aam Aadmi Party MLA Hakam Thekedar.
Also read: Ballot Papers To Be Used In Punjab Local Polls, BJP Demands EVMs
Jagga, who was critically injured in the attack, was immediately rushed to a local hospital; however, due to his precarious condition, doctors referred him to the DMC Hospital in Ludhiana. It is alleged that the attack was carried out as a result of election-related rivalry. Upon receiving news of the incident, a large crowd of Congress workers and supporters began gathering around both the hospitals and the scene of the crime.
Terming the assault a direct attack on democracy, Congress leaders stated that Raikot had previously been liberated from hooliganism and the politics of fear and set on the path of development. However, they noted that an attempt has now been made once again to instil an atmosphere of fear among the people. Party leaders allege that, anticipating defeat in the elections, these violent acts were orchestrated to intimidate opponents and exert pressure on them.
A clash also erupted between AAP and Akali Dal workers in Majitha. During the altercation, the turban of one man was forcibly removed. The police subsequently arrested a young man in connection with the incident. In light of the violence, Akali Dal leader Bikram Majithia and the Senior Superintendent of Police (Rural) arrived at the scene.
Commenting on the violence, Majithia posted on his social media platform, X.
"When a Sikh youth is stripped of his turban and his hair is desecrated, and the same injured young man is forced to stand before the SSP with folded hands seeking justice, it is clear that Majitha is no longer being governed by the rule of law, but by the goons patronised by @BhagwantMann. The SSP of Majitha now appears less like an officer of the law and more like a puppet functioning at the behest of the Aam Aadmi Party. A wounded Sikh youth, whose turban was forcibly removed and whose hair was subjected to insult, continues to plead for justice, yet the police remain silent spectators. Will even the humiliation of a Sikh's turban now be brushed aside under political pressure?" he said.
During the Municipal Council elections in Bhawanigarh, Sangrur MLA Narinder Kaur Bharaj and Congress workers came face-to-face in a heated confrontation. Sangrur MLA Narinder Kaur Bharaj appeared visibly enraged. She expressed her anger over the fact that a Congress party leader and former Cabinet Minister, Vijay Inder Singla, had entered a polling booth. This incident sparked an uproar at the scene; Narinder Kaur Bharaj demanded that Vijay Inder Singla leave the premises, while, on the other side, Congress workers raised slogans against the MLA.
Commenting on this matter, Union Minister Ravneet Bittu wrote on X: "The government, intoxicated by the addiction of power, cannot suppress our voice by misusing the police and administration. We have always stood firm and fought for the rights of the people, and we will continue to fight until our last breath. Truth can be harassed, but it cannot be defeated."
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today filed a criminal complaint against Gidderbaha MLA Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon and his associates, alleging booth capturing, assault, intimidation, and interference in the polling process.
AAP Reacts
AAP minister Aman Arora talked to NDTV.
"We have noticed some clashes in polls, and the government is working on such clashes to find out the reasons behind them," he said.
Arora maintained that the government had issued clear directions to ensure no violations or violence took place.
"If one or two incidents happened, the Election Commission will look into them. There was no relaxation from the government's side. Such incidents have unfortunately happened in previous elections as well," he said.
A voter turnout of 63.94 per cent was recorded in the polls.
