Chandigarh, Nov 5 (PTI) AAP MLA from Punjab’s Moga, Dr Amandeep Kaur Arora, on Thursday accused the BJP of indulging in a political vendetta, alleging that the 42-hour-long Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid at her residence was accompanied by repeated pressure to join the BJP in exchange for a ministerial position.
She claimed that despite extensive searches at her residence and hospital, the ED could not recover a single penny and had to return empty-handed.
The ED on Wednesday raided the premises of Arora and her family in connection with a money laundering investigation linked to the alleged fraudulent acquisition of government properties and other charges.
Seven premises were raided, including the residence of Arora, who is a doctor and the president of the AAP Women’s Wing in Punjab.
Reaffirming her commitment to AAP, Arora declared that neither threats nor political inducements could shake her loyalty to the party.
“During the approximately 40-42-hour-long raid, my young children and family members were confined inside our home. The ED conducted extensive searches at my residences and hospital, but could not recover even a single penny. The agency had to return completely empty-handed,” she claimed.
Arora mentioned that the ED subjected her to extensive questioning by linking the matter to transactions involving individuals such as Bipan Unkara and Rakesh Sitara, relating to the period before the formation of the government.
Asserting that no evidence of money laundering or irregularities was found, she claimed the search was effectively complete by 12 noon, but proceedings were deliberately prolonged under pressure from higher authorities.
“During the raid, continuous pressure was exerted on me through the ED to join the BJP. I was even told, ‘You will be given a ministerial position; you can think about it.’ I outright rejected this disgraceful offer. The Aam Aadmi Party is my mother party, and I am an honest and committed soldier of Arvind Kejriwal and CM Bhagwant Singh Mann,” she said in a statement.
Arora, who is a party candidate from Moga once again for the upcoming polls, said, “I am not someone who can be tempted by ministerial positions, election tickets or political posts. As long as I live, I will stand firmly with the Aam Aadmi Party. Neither threats nor inducements can make me compromise my principles or loyalty.”
She accused the BJP of resorting to such tactics as it could see its imminent defeat in Punjab. “However, the people of Punjab will give the BJP a befitting reply in the upcoming elections,” she said.
AAP Punjab Media In-charge Baltej Pannu claimed that the 42-hour-long ED raid at the residence of Moga’s sitting MLA, a people’s elected representative and candidate for the next election, yielded nothing. “The same thing was repeatedly said to her: Madam, join the BJP, and you will get big positions. But our MLA did not budge an inch,” he said.
Pannu alleged that the Centre is misusing government agencies to force opposition leaders into submission. “The BJP should remove this misconception from its mind that it can buy the soldiers of Arvind Kejriwal and CM Bhagwant Singh Mann through threats or inducements,” he said. PTI CHS MPL
MPL
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