IEP Chandigarh, January 30
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday said that January 30 will be remembered as the ‘darkest day’ in the annals of Indian polity as BJP led Union government has murdered democracy during the election for post of Mayor in Chandigarh.
Interacting with the media persons here at local Punjab Bhawan, the Chief Minister said that this moment will be remembered as a black day in the history of our democracy. He said that unfortunately it is the same month when Republic Day is celebrated in the nation and BJP chose the same month for undermining the constitution of the country. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this is a chronic habit of the BJP as they had earlier toppled democratically elected governments in Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and other states.
The Chief Minister said that if the counting of 36 votes can’t be conducted in a free and fair manner then how the polls and counting of votes for the entire country will take place impartially. He said that these leaders will loot the ballot papers from the voters for their vested interests, adding that EVM machines have already been found in their homes. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that democracy is not going in the right direction adding that it is not in the interest of the common man and the country.
The Chief Minister said that BJP had deliberately appointed the head of its minority wing as the Presiding officer in these polls. He said that the spineless presiding officer acted as per the whims and fancies of his masters to ensure victory of the BJP nominee. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the presiding officer has jeopardized the constitutional process envisaged by Dr BR Ambedkar in the Indian constitution thereby backstabbing the entire nation.
The Chief Minister said that Presiding officer must be booked under sedition for deceiving the constitution of the country. He said that the presiding officer had deliberately counted the votes in the absence of polling agents just to ensure the win of the BJP candidate. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this is unprecedentedly unfortunate as democratic has once again muzzled for the sake of the saffron party.
The Chief Minister said that the worry is not that BJP had hijacked the democratic process in Chandigarh but the real problem is that they will divest the people of their democratic rights in ensuing Lok Sabha polls too. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that today democracy has been murdered in Chandigarh adding that the soul of Baba Sahib Ambedkar must be hurt by seeing all this. He said that they will go to the court and challenge this election in which all the democratic norms have been set aside.
The Chief Minister said that it is beyond doubt that there is no democracy in the country as the BJP led government has hijacked the polls. He said that this has further raised doubts that the upcoming polls across the country will not be free and fair. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this is not the issue of survival of any party or alliance but that of the democracy in the country.
The Chief Minister said that the BJP nominee was well aware in advance that he would win that’s why he was sitting near the chair which he occupied the chair promptly. He said that the presiding officer came late because he was directed to act in this direction only. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the presiding officer was a spineless person who had bowed down before his masters to murder the democracy which is unwarranted and undesirable.
