Amarinder Singh alleges Parkash Singh Badal of trying to use Independence Day celebration for electoral gains

 Congress leader Amarinder Singh today took exception to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal for planning to unfurl the national flag at Patiala and Bathinda on August 15 respectively. In a statement here, Amarinder sought the attention of the Election Commission, saying, the plan amounts to serious violation of the electoral code of conduct as bypolls are scheduled to take place at these places a week later.

"This is not just a coincidence but a deliberate attempt by the father-son duo to use the Independence Day occasion for the electoral purpose", he said. The Amritsar MP demanded that they must change the places for unfurling the tricolour else the Election Commission must prevent them from doing so. He pointed out that wherever there are elections, a strict code of conduct comes into force under which nobody including the Chief Minister or a Deputy Chief Minister can have any special privileges.

"But once they visit these places on Independence Day they will be accorded all the state privileges which will straightway amount to violation of the code of conduct", he observed. He said that instead of waiting for the Election Commission to prevent them from doing so, Badal and his son must avoid that situation and change the venues of their presiding over the Independence Day celebrations.