Congress Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha and Amritsar MP Amarinder Singh Friday took strong exception to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his Deputy Chief Minister son Sukhbir Badal planning to unfurl the national flag on Independence Day (Aug 15) at Patiala and Bathinda respectively.
In a statement, Amarinder Singh said that it was inappropriate for the Badals to unfurl the national flag at these two places in view of the bye-elections taking place there.
By-election for the Patiala assembly seat and Talwandi Sabo assembly seat in Bathinda district will be held Aug 21.
Sukhbir Badal is the president of Punjab's ruling Akali Dal.
Amarinder Singh sought the attention of the Election Commission of India, saying that this amounted to serious violation of the electoral code of conduct.
"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 while demanding that the Badals change the place for unfurling the tricolour.
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"If they don't do this, the Election Commission must prevent them from doing so," Amarinder Singh said.
He said that wherever there are elections, a strict code of conduct comes into force under which nobody, including the chief minister, can have any special privileges.