Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab Chief Spokesperson and MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal on Thursday slammed the BJP and Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha for attempting to defame Punjab and the Bhagwant Mann government over the deletion of Raghav Chadha’s name from the voters’ list in Mohali. The AAP Punjab Chief Spokesperson said the issue was taken up at the national level to create a false narrative that the Punjab government had deliberately removed Raghav Chadha’s vote.
During a press conference, AAP Punjab Chief Spokesperson and MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said that after the AAP sought information from the Election Commission regarding Raghav Chadha’s voter registration, it emerged that his voter registration in Rajinder Nagar, Delhi, had been completed. He questioned how the registration could be completed with such speed when ordinary citizens often have to wait for weeks or even months after submitting their forms. “People are running after BLOs, SDM offices and tehsildar offices for their voter registrations. What special provision was given in this case?” he asked.
The AAP Punjab Chief Spokesperson further questioned who had verified Chadha’s address for the Rajinder Nagar voter registration. “During voter verification, BLOs normally verify an applicant’s residence through concerned local representatives, neighbours or other persons connected with the area,” he added.
“Who verified Raghav Chadha’s residence? When the information available indicates that his Delhi residence and the address at which the vote was registered were different, who carried out the verification? Raghav Chadha’s Rajinder Nagar house has been closed for some time now. The Election Commission must clarify who processed and verified this application and under what provisions the registration was completed with such speed,” he said.
Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said the BJP had repeatedly tried to use every available issue to target Punjab and the Bhagwant Mann government, whether political, social, agricultural, related to drugs or other matters. “The latest controversy had once again exposed the manner in which Punjab was being targeted at the national level,” he added.
Calling out Raghav Chadha, the AAP Punjab Chief Spokesperson said Punjab had given him the opportunity to become a Rajya Sabha member, yet he was now making statements that were being used to portray Punjab and its government in a negative light. “The state and the party from Punjab that made you a Rajya Sabha member should not be betrayed in this manner. Punjabis will not accept attempts to malign Punjab,” he said.
Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said the AAP had neither asked for anyone’s vote to be deleted nor sought the creation of any illegal vote. “The Election Commission should place the complete facts before the people. If a voter registration can be completed so quickly in this case, ordinary citizens also deserve to know why they are made to run from office to office and wait for weeks or months for the same process,” he added.
Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal affirmed that the BJP and Raghav Chadha should stop using such issues to defame Punjab and the Bhagwant Mann government. He said the AAP would continue to expose every attempt to malign Punjab and would place the facts before the people.
