Union Minister Ravneet Bittu Urges Punjab Officials to Stay Clear of Municipal Elections
Click to start listening
Patiala, Dec 11 (NationPress) Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu on Wednesday requested officials from the Punjab government to abstain from interfering in the upcoming municipal elections. He asserted that certain officers are postponing the issuance of no-objection certificates (NOCs) due to political influence exerted against the BJP candidates.
Bittu cautioned the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) officials to refrain from such conduct, emphasizing that oversight is being maintained on those who are engaging in such actions under the sway of the Aam Aadmi Party-led government.
"Officials should bear in mind that their services align with the Central government. Should any evidence emerge against an officer, FIRs (first information reports) will be filed through the Election Commission," Bittu stated.
He further warned: "I will remind these officials that neither Bhagwant Mann nor Arvind Kejriwal will support them during their challenging times."
Bittu called upon Patiala voters to choose a BJP mayor to drive the city's comprehensive development, ensuring direct communication with Central leadership.
"A BJP mayor will streamline the initiation of significant projects for the advancement of Patiala, akin to the success seen in states like Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra, which have all profited from BJP's development strategies," he asserted.
Regarding the ongoing farmers' protest occurring on two borders of Punjab, Bittu reiterated his readiness for dialogue. "Dialogue is the only viable path forward. I urge farmers to come forth for discussions. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is always attentive to the interests of Punjab farmers and has already enacted substantial increases in MSP (minimum support price)."
The Union minister expressed his concern for farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal's health and encouraged farmers to prioritize dialogue for resolution. "I implore farmers to come forward for talks, setting aside their egos. The Central government remains open to discussions," Bittu mentioned.
Senior party leader Preneet Kaur also presented videos showing that BJP Municipal Corporation candidates are facing intimidation and threats from the AAP government in Patiala. "We have received reports indicating that police are being dispatched to their residences to intimidate them, and our district president was threatened by a police team. This constitutes a blatant violation of democratic principles and the constitution. We will not allow such actions and will take stringent measures against offending officers," she cautioned.
"We will initiate FIRs and legal actions against them, whether through the Election Commission or court intervention. We have instructed our workers to record videos of such occurrences and file complaints immediately. We are in direct contact with the Central government regarding this and will not permit them to engage in such undemocratic behaviors again," Kaur added.
Later, Bittu, joined by senior leaders, visited the Deputy Commissioner's office to file nomination papers for BJP candidates contesting in the municipal elections.
The State Election Commission announced on Sunday elections for five Municipal Corporations and 41 Municipal Councils, including Nagar Panchayats, to be held on December 21. The vote counting will occur on the same day.
The deadline for filing nominations is December 12, while the scrutiny of nominations is set for December 13, and the withdrawal date for nominations is December 14.
Out of the 37,32,636 registered voters, there are 19,55,888 men, 17,76,544 women, and 204 others.
The voting will take place from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. using EVMs. The votes cast will be counted at the polling station itself.
