Chandigarh, May 2 (PTI) Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar on Thursday said the party will not be intimidated by two FIRs filed by the AAP government against Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak, which he claimed were meant to “divert” attention from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann allegedly arriving in the state Assembly in an “inebriated” state on Friday.
Jakhar’s remarks followed after Punjab Police on Saturday registered two FIRs against Pathak, who recently left the AAP and joined the BJP along with six of his party colleagues.
Calling it a “political vendetta”, Jakhar alleged that the FIRs against Pathak were meant to “divert” attention from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann arriving for a special session of Punjab Assembly in an “inebriated” state on Friday, Jakhar alleged.
“He (Mann) may have won the vote (of confidence) but he has no moral authority left to be sitting in the chief minister’s chair,” Jakhar said.
On Friday, Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa wrote to Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan seeking alcometer and dope testing of Mann and all the AAP legislators.
“I write on behalf of the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) to draw your immediate attention to a matter of grave concern affecting the dignity and decorum of this august House,” Bajwa, who is the Leader of the Opposition, wrote.
Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema had trashed the Congress’ charge against Mann as “false” and “baseless” meant to “defame” the chief minister.
Jakhar on Saturday said the BJP will meet Governor Gulab Chand Kataria on Sunday and raise the issues of Mann’s conduct and the FIRs against Pathak.
The BJP leader alleged that individuals who were earlier praised by AAP leaders are now being targeted after joining the BJP, calling it evidence of “double standards”.
He also claimed that while the BJP MPs were being “harassed”, the Punjab government extended police protection to its own MLA facing corruption charges, someone who had been jailed previously.
Questioning the “shift” in AAP’s stance, Jakhar said those once considered loyal were being labelled negatively overnight after leaving the party.
“This is an attempt to put pressure on the remaining AAP members and prevent further defections,” he alleged.
Quoting a media report, Jakhar said the security cover of AAP MLA from Jalandhar Central, Raman Arora, had been restored.
“Arora faced corruption charges and even remained in a jail. His security cover was withdrawn after he was arrested for allegedly indulging in corruption in connivance with an official of the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation last May. But after he voted during the confidence motion in the state Assembly (on Friday), his security cover was restored,” Jakhar said.
He also accused Mann of compromising on action against his own legislators to “safeguard” his position, while adopting a policy of “targeting only political opponents”.
Reiterating that the BJP stands firmly with its leaders, Jakhar said the party will oppose any form of “political vendetta”, and cautioned officials against “overstepping” legal boundaries.
The people of the state are closely watching the developments, and they will respond when Punjab goes to polls in 2027, he said.
BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh also condemned the FIRs against Pathak and said, “A deep sense of resentment has taken root in people’s mind against the AAP government. It is out of this frustration, despair and fear that the AAP is now targeting its political opponents.” “The very individual who until yesterday was a key face of the AAP has suddenly been branded a criminal today. This is the biggest proof of AAP’s double standards and its declining credibility,” Chugh alleged. PTI CHS VSD ARI ARI ARI
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