Police use water cannon to disperse NSUI members protesting over Chandigarh mayoral polls rigging

PTI, Feb 7, 2024, 7:53 PM IST

Water cannon being used by the police to disperse National Students' Union of India (NSUI) workers protesting against the BJP over the January 30 mayoral elections, in Chandigarh. (Credit: PTI Photo)

Chandigarh: Police on Wednesday used a water cannon and resorted to lathi-charge to disperse members of the Congress’ student wing NSUI marching towards the BJP office to protest against the alleged rigging of the recent Chandigarh mayoral polls.

Led by National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) Chandigarh president Sachin Galav, the protesters raised slogans against the BJP and demanded that Presiding Officer Anil Masih be arrested for allegedly tampering with the ballot papers during the January 30 mayoral elections.

The NSUI Chandigarh had planned to gherao the BJP office in Sector 33 here. A large contingent of police was deployed and barricades were erected in Sector 35 to prevent the protesters from going towards the BJP office.

When the protesters tried to force their way through the barricades, police used a water cannon to disperse them and resorted to lathi-charge.

Speaking to reporters, Galav, who is also a municipal councillor, slammed the BJP for ‘rigging’ the mayoral polls and accused it of murdering democracy.

He said, “If the BJP could do so in the mayoral polls, then what will happen in the general elections?” He also slammed the Chandigarh deputy commissioner and municipal corporation officials for allegedly acting at the behest of the BJP during the mayoral polls.

The Congress and the AAP have been holding protests against the alleged rigging of the mayoral polls for several days now. The two parties had joined hands to take on the BJP in the elections.

The BJP swept the Chandigarh mayoral polls on January 30.

Manoj Sonkar of the BJP won the mayor’s post with 16 votes. His rival and AAP candidate Kuldeep Kumar got 12 votes. Eight votes were declared invalid.

Opposition councillors alleged that the presiding officer had tampered with the ballot papers, a charge rubbished by the BJP.

Appalled by the alleged defacing of ballot papers during the Chandigarh mayoral polls, the Supreme Court on Monday said it was a mockery of democracy and ordered that the ballots and the video of the electoral proceedings be preserved.

Taking note of an AAP councillor’s plea alleging wrongdoing during the polls, the court issued notices to the Chandigarh authorities, including the civic body.

A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, Justice J B Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra expressed annoyance after watching the video of the electoral proceedings and said that prima facie, the returning officer was defacing the ballot papers.