Protest against AAP’s ‘Op Lotus’ charge: Punjab BJP leaders detained

The workers had gathered on the state leadership’s call for a protest outside Bhagwant Mann’s residence against AAP’s allegation that the BJP was trying to topple the government

Chandigarh Police detained senior Punjab BJP leaders, including state unit chief Ashwani Sharma and Sunil Jakhar, to prevent them from heading to gherao chief minister Bhagwant Mann’s official residence in the state capital on Thursday afternoon. Water cannons were used on BJP workers when they tried to cross the barricades put up by the police outside the party headquarters in Sector 37.

Chandigarh, India September 22, 2022: Punjab BJP Senior leaders along with workers protesting against Punjab Government near Punjab BJP Head Office Sector 37 in Chandigarh on Thursday, September 22, 2022.Photo by Keshav Singh/Hindustan Times.

The workers had gathered on the state leadership’s call for a protest outside Mann’s residence against the Aam Aadmi Party’s allegation that the BJP was trying to topple the AAP government and alleged that the state government was doing all this to divert attention from the public on the issue of misgovernance especially about drugs, rampant illegal mining and law and order.

“There is nothing called ‘Operation Lotus’. All this is Operation Bogus and Kejriwal is compelling Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to do such things like calling assembly session on this issue in order to topple his government. Kejriwal wants Mann to do mistake after mistake so that he can run the show or Raghav Chadha can be elevated as CM,” said the state BJP chief. The BJP leaders demanded evidence for the allegations and said Mann’s convening a special assembly session for a confidence motion on Thursday was a political drama.

Senior party leader Sunil Jakhar said that the BJP won’t allow the AAP government to carry out a drama in the name of ‘Operation Lotus’.” Jakhar said the assembly is meant for serious discussions and not to carry out a “political nautanki”.

“You call a session but not for Nautanki. Where are the other issues of Punjab? Where is the issue of farming? Where is the issue if rampant corruption and misgovernance. BJP won’t let it happen,” questioned Jakhar.

The daughter of former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, who joined the BJP on Monday, Jai Inder Kaur also addressed the dharna.

State BJP general secretary Subhash Sharma said the AAP is Punjab is implemented thought process of Kejriwal and the Delhi CM is desperate to come as Punjab CM by discrediting Mann.

As the leaders were adamant to go to gherao CM’s residence, Chandigarh police detained all of them including their almost 200 supporters and kept them at Sector 39 Police Station. Later the leaders were released in the evening alongwith supporters.