The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Tuesday urged Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore to dismiss Cooperation minister Sukhjinder Randhawa for indulging in unconstitutional activity by openly announcing his intent to rig the forthcoming panchayat elections by not allowing any anti- Congress voter to exercise his franchise.

In a statement here, former minister and party spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema said Randhawa had recently announced at a public rally that only Congress voters would be allowed to decide the outcome of the panchayat elections and all others including Akalis would be stopped from entering polling booths.

“Since this is against the essence of the constitution as well as the panchayati raj act, we urge the Governor to take swift action against the minister to restore people’s faith in the democratic process”.

The Akali leader also asked the State Election Commission (SEC) to wake up from its slumber and take needed steps to stop the murder of democracy in the state.

“The SEC failed to take appropriate measures due to which there was large scale intimidation, violence and rigging in elections to local bodies and panchayat samiti and zila parishad elections,” he said.

Cheema said it seems the Congress party has been further emboldened and this is why Randhawa has now decided to deny Akali voters the right to exercise their franchise and openly bragged about the same in the presence of Pradesh Congress president Sunil Jakhar.

The SEC needs to redeem itself by ordering immediate registration of a criminal case against Randhawa as well as his arrest. Only this will prevent Congressmen from taking the law in their own hands.

“However if this is not done then the SEC should simply announce that it is incapable of holding free and fair elections and recommend that the Congress party nominate its candidates to village panchayats instead of going through the rigmarole of holding elections,” the SAD leader said.

Cheema said Sukhjinder Randhawa’s statement had made it clear that the Congress party had evolved a strategy to rig the elections and that this would be replicated across the state.

He said chief minister Amarinder Singh should now clarify whether this conspiracy to capture the panchayat elections by use of illegal means had his blessings?

“If not then the chief minister should tell the people what action he was taking against” Randhawa”.

The SAD leader also asked Congress president Rahul Gandhi to disclose why he was remaining silent on this most sensitive issue of grass root democracy.

“The Congress president takes great pride in speaking about the need to nurture and broad base the panchayati raj system. He should now practice what he preaches and tell what action he will take against those who want to muzzle the voice of democracy and use intimidation and State power to make panchayati raj institutions irrelevant,” Cheema added.