Political Storm in Punjab: BJP Leaders Sushil Rinku & KD Bhandari Detained, Party Rushes to Governor

Jalandhar (The Uttam Hindu): High political drama unfolded in Punjab on Thursday as police detained senior BJP leaders, including former MP Sushil Rinku and former MLA Krishna Dev Bhandari, while they were conducting an awareness camp under the “BJP De Sewadar Aa Gaye Ne Tuade Dwaar” mission.

The camp aimed to spread awareness about central government welfare schemes such as Ayushman Bharat Health Card, Old Age Pension, PM Awas Yojana, Kisan Welfare Programs, and other benefits for farmers, Dalits, and marginalized communities.

According to BJP leaders, the arrest was made mid-campaign, causing chaos on the spot. BJP alleged that the Punjab government was deliberately obstructing their welfare awareness drives, harassing party workers, volunteers, and even villagers who wanted to know about these schemes.

A BJP delegation led by acting president Ashwani Sharma met Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, demanding his urgent intervention to stop what they called the “politically motivated harassment” of BJP workers and innocent citizens.

Sharma accused the Punjab government of misusing police and administrative machinery to suppress BJP’s rising popularity in the state. He stated that almost every camp faced interference from state police under the pretext of permission issues or false allegations of data collection, despite volunteers having valid CSC IDs.

Villagers themselves reportedly protested against police action, questioning why the government was blocking them from learning about schemes meant for their welfare.

BJP leaders claimed the crackdown is politically motivated and stems from fear of BJP’s growing influence in Punjab. They also linked the action to remarks by Manish Sisodia, who had openly declared that the 2027 elections would be fought using every trick—fair or unfair.

BJP has demanded that the Governor instruct the Punjab government to immediately stop the harassment of party workers, volunteers, and citizens who are voluntarily participating in awareness campaigns.