Bhattal demands sack of state govt

Lashing out at the Akalis, Bhattal said they had eliminated the democracy from root level. She also alleged that during the era of terrorism, the Akalis always supported terrorism and now they were again creating terror among the opposition by getting their nomination papers rejected.

She said by getting the nomination papers of prospective contestants cancelled, the state government had denied a constitutional right to them.

Bhattal said the party had opened a control room in the Congress Bhavan at Chandigarh and lawyers had been engaged by it to provide legal aid to the affected villagers.

The former chief minister also alleged that the Akalis had created chaos in 12,150 villages in the state and demanded that since the entire poll process had lost its relevance, fresh nominations should be invited. She said all the opposition parties had decided to fight the high-handedness of the Akalis by organising dharnas at district headquarters in the state, adding that the very first dharna had been organised here as it was the land of martyrs who fought against injustice.

CPI leader Joginder Dayal, Bhan Singh Bhora, CPM leader Balwant Singh, MLA Harbans Lal, former Congress minister Sadhu Singh, Jagmohan Singh Kang, District Congress president Sikandar Singh, District Mahila Congress president Prem Lata and Youth Congress leader Gursatinder Singh also addressed the gathering.