SAD moves EC against Bhagwant Mann, Punjab DGP

Chandigarh: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today urged the Election Commission to take action against AAP leader Bhagwant Mann and Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Mohammad Mustafa for allegedly making "inflammatory" statements and trying to "coerce" the voters, respectively.

The party has filed two separate complaints in this regard before Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi who, along with other election commissioners, is on a two-day visit to review poll preparedness in the state.

The Commission also held meetings with representatives of political parties, including ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and opposition Congress.

SAD secretary Charanjit Brar has submitted purported video clips along with its complaints to the EC, said a party statement.

The party, while briefing the election commissioner, said Mann had openly "incited" people to throw stones at senior leaders of the SAD and had even admitted the same during a television interview.

It alleged that Mann "urged" people not to sow crops on part of their land in order to collect stones which could be used against Akali leaders and also asked them to stone the buses owned by SAD leaders.

Requesting an urgent inquiry into the matter, Brar alleged that Mann had made such speeches with the sole intention of "disturbing peace" in the state.

Notably, a few days ago a group of people threw stones at the cavalcade of deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal at Kandhwala Hazir Khan village in his constituency Jalalabad in Fazilka district, leaving four Akali supporters injured.

In a separate complaint, SAD claimed that Mustafa who is posted as DGP (PSHRC), whose wife has been given ticket by Congress from Malerkotla seat, was allegedly coercing voters to support her candidature.

In the complaint, it said according to reports received from SAD candidate, the DGP was allegedly openly roaming around in the constituency to canvas for votes for the Congress.

It also urged the Commission to find out how Mustafa was visiting Malerkotla "without taking leave" from his department.

This, the complaint said, was against service rules and also a violation of the model code of conduct and asked the Commission to conduct an inquiry and take appropriate action in the matter.