Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar on Tuesday demanded the resignation of chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and state director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav following the grenade attack on the house of senior party leader and former minister Manoranjan Kalia in Jalandhar.
Addressing a press conference after visiting Kalia’s house, Jakhar, who was accompanied Union minister of state for railways Ravneet Singh Bittu, held both CM Mann and DGP Yadav accountable for the grenade attack. “It is criminal negligence on the part of Punjab intelligence, DGP and Punjab CM, who is also the home minister of the state. Both the CM and DGP hold proxy posts and must resign. The government must admit to its failure in maintaining law and order,” Jakhar said.
He said this was the 14th grenade attack in the state since November last year. Police stations across the state and a temple in Amritsar have been attacked in a similar manner, he said, adding that the rocket-propelled grenade attack on the Punjab intelligence headquarters itself in 2022 showed the sad state of law and order.
“The state police and government have a callous approach in handling such sensitive issues. The government tries to wash its hands of by going into denial mode. There is a new threat to the state’s law and order,” Jakhar said, adding “The attack on Kalia’s house was a well-planned conspiracy.”
{{/usCountry}}“The state police and government have a callous approach in handling such sensitive issues. The government tries to wash its hands of by going into denial mode. There is a new threat to the state’s law and order,” Jakhar said, adding “The attack on Kalia’s house was a well-planned conspiracy.”
{{/usCountry}}“I’ve never seen such intelligence failure in 23 years of active politics. The intelligence unit is left only to be used by the Punjab CM to gather inputs regarding the activities of opposition parties,” Jakhar said.
‘West Bengal type of politics’
He said gangsters and anti-social elements were calling the shots and bent on disturbing communal harmony in the border state.
“Due to the callous attitude of the state authorities, Punjab has been witnessing West Bengal type of politics where the bombs are hurled to muzzle the opposition’s voice,” Jakhar said.
He alleged that the government machinery in the state had been reduced to a puppet acting on the directions of Delhi AAP leaders. “Officers, who have the spine to counter the state government. have been sidelined. It is the right time that the Punjab CM should either surrender before the Delhi leadership or should run the state on his own terms and conditions,” he said.
Countering AAP allegations that it is the handiwork of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and Inter-Services Intelligence, Jakhar said the state AAP leaders are rubbing salt into the wounds of victims by making such statements. “He is the same Lawrence Bishnoi, who brazenly gave a TV interview while in the Punjab Police custody,” he added.