Punjab civic body polls: Nomination papers ‘snatched’ in Patiala, probe ordered

Nomination papers of a few candidates, mostly from Congress, SAD and BJP, were reportedly snatched while they were about to file the same at the district administrative complex for the Municipal Corporation elections in Patiala on Thursday. Leaders of Opposition parties and AAP blamed each other for the chaos while Patiala deputy commissioner Preeti Yadav said she had marked an inquiry.

One of the aspirants, Rajinder Kaur, said, “While I was on way to file my nomination papers, one miscreant snatched and tore my nomination paper. I had to contest as an independent after AAP denied me ticket from Ward 59.”

The police had to use mild force to disperse the workers of different political outfits who were reportedly having a scuffle.

BJP leader and former Patiala MP Preneet Kaur alleged that nominations of BJP candidates were torn by AAP workers with support from the police and the district administration.

“This is a broad daylight murder of democracy. In some cases, nomination papers were forcefully snatched inside the building of returning officer,” she said.

Punjab Youth Congress president Mohit Mohindra, who was present at the site, said, “Some AAP miscreants snatched papers from my hand and ran away. Private persons with the help of police thrashed opposition candidates at nomination centres and didn’t allow them to enter the building.”

SAD’s Patiala president Amit Rathi said, “Policemen were silent spectators while the nomination papers of opposition parties were being snatched and torn.”

Refuting the allegations, AAP’s Patiala MLA Ajitpal Kohli said, “It was the BJP whose workers snatched nomination papers of AAP candidates. They (BJP) are murdering the democracy. By and large, filing of nomination papers remained peaceful. I have already requested the DC and the Patiala SSP to probe the sporadic incidents of snatching and tearing of nomination papers.”