Chandigarh, Oct 29 (IANS) Coming heavily on the Aam Aadmi Party government and its leaders, former Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar on Thursday accused the state government of failing to tackle the state’s deteriorating law and order situation and drug menace, alleging that the ruling party’s leaders had sheltered criminals and accepted bribes to help accused persons evade the law.
Speaking to IANS, Jakhar alleged that criminals serving long prison sentences had been helped to secure parole and escape, while people accused of rape had allegedly been assisted in fleeing the country in exchange for a bribe of Rs 5 crore. He claimed that the matter had reached Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, whose name, he alleged, had surfaced in the Rs 5-crore case before the High Court.
“Taking all these issues into account, I am writing to the Governor today, urging him to ensure that the Code of Conduct is implemented in Punjab as soon as possible. Every passing day is proving costly for Punjab,” Jakhar said.
The BJP leader also criticised the state government’s handling of drug addiction, citing the deaths of a father and his teenage son in Jalalabad, which he attributed to drug overdoses. He alleged that the deaths illustrated the severity of the drug problem in Punjab and accused Mann of denying the scale of the crisis.
“Think about it: a complete family wiped out due to addiction, and Bhagwant Mann says that there is no addiction problem in Punjab,” he said, while also alleging that the state was facing a breakdown of law and order.
Jakhar said the Punjab BJP was planning to send a delegation to the Election Commission to seek intervention, arguing that the situation warranted the implementation of the Code of Conduct without delay.
He further claimed that conditions in the state had deteriorated to such an extent that even organising sporting events had become difficult.
The BJP leader also said he would explore legal options against AAP leader Manish Sisodia over his use of the phrase “saam, daam, dand, bhed” while addressing party workers in 2025. The expression refers to a range of strategies used to achieve an objective, including persuasion, inducement, punishment and division.
Jakhar said he would appeal to the court and seek to prevent Sisodia and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal from entering Punjab. He alleged that the leaders should not be allowed to spread misinformation or make statements that could promote hatred in the state.
Referring to the death of 35-year-old Daljit Singh in Bhamme Kalan village, allegedly due to a drug overdose, Jakhar said attempts to divert attention from the drug crisis would not change the anger among affected families.
“They may make a hundred attempts to divert attention from their own deeds, but families whose children’s bodies are being taken away are focused only on ensuring that these thieves are not allowed to enter their village,” he said.
–IANS
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