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Punjab minister: BJP patronising gangster Lawrence Bishnoi
State finance minister Harpal Cheema says despite being jailed in Gujarat, gangster executing targeted killings in non-BJP ruled states.
Punjab finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Thursday blamed the BJP for patronising gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who is lodged in Sabarmati Jail of Ahmedabad since 2014.
“The recent murder of a businessman in Abohar was carried out by Bishnoi, who is in Gujarat jail. It is sad that he is targeting Punjab sitting in Gujarat,” Cheema told mediapersons after the adjournment of the first sitting of the two-day special session of the Punjab assembly.
“The BJP is protecting gangsters, and he (Bishnoi) is lodged in a jail in Gujarat, the state from which Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union home Amit Shah come. Why does the BJP protect him? The gangster is executing targeted killings in non-BJP ruled states. Why is he not sent to other states, where he has murdered people? We will now try to bring him to Punjab on a production warrant,” the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader said.
Bishnoi is the mastermind behind the killing of popular Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala three years ago and he has been issuing threats to actor Salman Khan. He is also allegedly behind last year’s killing of NCP leader Baba Siddique in Mumbai.
Commenting on the murder of businessman Sanjay Verma in Abohar on July 7 and the delay in arresting the three assailants, Cheema said: “We will not allow anyone to vitiate the law and order situation. We will deal with anti-social elements with an iron fist.”
“Bishnoi takes responsibility for every murder sitting inside jail. What does this mean and why is he kept in Gujarat jail?” he said, demanding a reply from the Centre.
He blamed the Congress for sheltering gangsters like Mukhtar Ansari while it was in power. The notorious gangster from Uttar Pradesh was brought to a jail in Punjab and given VIP facilities, Cheema said.
Police records show the support of Shiromani Akali Dal leaders to anti-social elements, Cheema claimed, describing the opposition party as “the root cause of the drug mafia in Punjab”.
“The opposition parties have patronised gangsters and the AAP government is cleaning the rot,” he added.
