First BJP Punjab Leaders Were Supporting Bikram Majithia, Now BJP's Haryana CM Inducts Ranjit Gill Into Their Party: Neel Garg

Chandigarh (The Uttam Hindu): The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab has raised serious concerns over the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) late-night induction of a former Akali Dal leader who is allegedly linked to an ongoing vigilance case.

Speaking to the media, AAP Punjab senior spokesperson Neel Garg questioned the suspicious timing, secrecy, and political message of the event, calling it an apparent attempt to shield individuals under investigation.

Neel Garg asked why the induction was done in the dead of night and why it was not conducted by any Punjab BJP leader but instead by Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Saini. He said, "What was so urgent that a person facing serious questions in a vigilance probe was made to join the BJP without any public event or senior Punjab leadership present? Why was this done quietly and away from public scrutiny?"

Garg pointed out that the person who joined the BJP is allegedly connected to the same vigilance case in which senior Akali leader Bikram Majithia has already been arrested for amassing disproportionate assets. He said, "Just days ago, senior BJP leader Captain Amarinder Singh openly supported Majithia. Now, another person associated with that case has been brought into the BJP fold with the help of Haryana’s chief minister. Is this BJP’s way of signaling that it stands with those involved in the drug trade?"

Garg also highlighted how the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government has consistently cracked down on the drug mafia, gangsters, and their political backers. Thousands of drug traffickers have been arrested, narcotics and drug money have been seized, and several properties have been attached. He said that these efforts have dismantled long-standing drug supply chains and brought order back to the state.

"In this backdrop, it is shameful that BJP leaders like Manjinder Sirsa are questioning police encounters with gangsters. This is not nationalism, it is hypocrisy. When action is taken against criminals, BJP rushes to protect them instead of supporting the law," Garg said.

He further questioned the absence of Punjab BJP’s leadership during the midnight induction. "Where was the Punjab BJP president or working president? Has the Punjab BJP become so weak that it now needs Haryana to manage its affairs?" he asked.

Neel Garg demanded clarity from BJP on why certain individuals lodged in Gujarat’s Sabarmati Jail, who are linked to drug investigations in Punjab, are protected under laws that prevent them from being interrogated outside the prison. "Why were such laws needed? Why do so many cases lead back to Gujarat jails? Why can't these individuals be brought to Punjab for questioning like anyone else?" he asked.

He alleged that BJP is providing shelter to drug traffickers, anti-social elements, and gangsters while claiming to stand for nationalism. "Instead of supporting Punjab’s fight against crime and drugs, BJP is standing with the accused and obstructing justice," he said.

Garg warned that if any illegal financial transaction or link to drug money is proven, then no individual will be spared, no matter which party they belong to. He stressed that the AAP government will take strict action and no political protection will shield the guilty.

In conclusion, Garg appealed to the people of Punjab to stay alert and cautious. "BJP has never worked in the interest of Punjab or the country. Its politics is self-serving. The people must be aware of their real agenda and remain vigilant against such forces," he said.