Chandigarh, Jan 30 (Reporter) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said on Tuesday that January 30 will be remembered as the ‘Darkest Day’ in the annals of Indian politics as the BJP-led Union government murdered democracy during the election for the post of Mayor in Chandigarh.Interacting with the media persons here at the local Punjab Bhawan on Tuesday, he said that this moment will be remembered as a black day in the history of our democracy. He said that unfortunately, it is the same month when Republic Day is celebrated in the nation, and the BJP chose the same month for undermining the constitution of the country. Mr. Mann said that this is a chronic habit of the BJP, as they had earlier toppled democratically elected governments in Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, and other states.He said that if the counting of 36 votes can’t be conducted in a free and fair manner, then the polls and counting of votes for the entire country will take place impartially. He said that these leaders will loot the ballot papers from the voters for their vested interests, adding that EVM machines have already been found in their homes. Mr. Mann said that democracy is not going in the right direction, adding that it is not in the interest of the common man and the country.He said that the BJP had deliberately appointed the head of its minority wing as the presiding officer in these polls. He said that the spineless presiding officer acted as per the whims and fancies of his masters to ensure the victory of the BJP nominee. He said that the presiding officer has jeopardized the constitutional process envisaged by Dr. BR Ambedkar in the Indian Constitution, thereby backstabbing the entire nation.Mr. Mann said that the presiding officer must be booked under sedition for deceiving the constitution of the country. He said that the presiding officer had deliberately counted the votes in the absence of polling agents just to ensure the win of the BJP candidate. He said that this is unprecedentedly unfortunate, as democracy has once again been muzzled for the sake of the saffron party.He said that the worry is not that the BJP has hijacked the democratic process in Chandigarh, butThe real problem is that they will divest the people of their democratic rights in the ensuing LS polls too.Mr. Mann said that today democracy has been murdered in Chandigarh, adding that the soul of Baba Sahib Ambedkar must be hurt by seeing all this. He said that they will go to court and challenge this election in which all the democratic norms have been set aside.He said that it is beyond doubt that there is no democracy in the country as the BJP-led government has hijacked the polls. He said that this has further raised doubts that the upcoming polls across the country will not be free and fair. He said that this is not the issue of the survival of any party or alliance but that of the democracy in the country.Mr. Mann said that the BJP nominee was well aware in advance that he would win; that’s why he was sitting near the chair, which he occupied promptly. He said that the presiding officer came late because he was directed to act in this direction only. He said that the presiding officer was a spineless person who had bowed down before his masters to murder the democracy, which is unwarranted and undesirable...////...