On Wednesday, a rally to be addressed by Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma was attacked by 40-50 miscreants in Pathankot in Punjab. Several BJP workers were attacked by arms and sharp weapons resulting in severe injuries to 4 workers. Ashwani Sharma is contesting the assembly polls from Pathankot.
BJP Punjab State President Ashwani Sharma’s Election Rally attacked by Miscreants in Pathankot ward no.19 with Arms & sharp weapons & 4 BJP workers got injured. @AshwaniSBJP is Candidate from #Pathankot Seat. pic.twitter.com/Oh4dNK6OeQ
— Nikhil Choudhary (@NikhilCh_) February 2, 2022
Reportedly, the alleged Congress workers attacked the BJP rally with rods and sharp weapons. As a result, Four BJP workers sustained injuries in the attack and were shifted to the hospital. Videos of the attack show that the miscreants also vandalised the rally venue by throwing away the chairs and other items, while the BJP workers were asking them to stop.
Ashwani Sharma condemning the attack said that the incident is enough to show the inability of the administration in Punjab to maintain the law and order. “Every political party has right to conduct a rally. Attacking people without any reason is hooliganism (gundagardi). Many of my party workers have been admitted to the hospital as they have been hit hard on their heads”, he added in a video that went viral over social media.
#Pathankot: According to Ashwani Sharma 40-50 Miscreants attacked on BJP worker. pic.twitter.com/sF3eeI4tzM
— Nikhil Choudhary (@NikhilCh_) February 2, 2022
BJP spokesperson Anil Sarin has condemned the attack and has demanded strict action against the goons. The injured BJP workers were immediately shifted to the hospital and have suffered pain from stitches.
Speaking exclusively to Opindia, BJP State Media Advisor Col Jaibans Singh informed that the poll gathering in Pathankot was organised by BJP within the limits as directed by the Election Commission of India.
“Some miscreants, said to be from the Congress party, arrived at the gathering in large numbers and insisted that they would not allow Ashwani Sharma to speak in the Pathankot ward 19 area. The altercation led to a scuffle in which many BJP workers were injured”, Col Jaibans Singh said.
He added that the attackers, supposedly from the Congress party, were large in numbers as compared to the BJP gathering that had been kept within limits set by the Election Commission of India. “The party feels that there are certain people who are insecure due to the massive mandate that BJP is now getting in most of the constituencies in Punjab. These people are resorting to violence and other pressure tactics to intimidate the BJP cadre and candidates. The BJP strongly condemns these attacks and is not intimidated by them”, he stated.
Singh also alleged that the Congress was resorting to violence to subdue the voice of BJP in Punjab. He said that the BJP stands determined to carry on with the poll campaign within the prescribed norms of the Election Commission of India.
BJP Punjab president Ashwani Sharma filed nomination from Pathankot constituency on Monday for the upcoming state assembly polls. “Punjab wants a stable government to change the future of the state. BJP is going to form government in Punjab”, he had said.
The 2022 Punjab Legislative Assembly elections will be held on 20 February 2022 to elect the 117 members of the 16th Assembly. The votes will be counted and the results will be declared on 10 March 2022.
