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What Haryana said after stopping Punjab cops who arrested BJP's Tajinder Bagga
Delhi, Haryana and Punjab got involved as BJP's Tajinder Bagga was arrested.
An unexpected move by the Haryana Police on Friday in the BJP-ruled state was a roadblock for a team of cops from Punjab who were headed to Mohali with BJP’s Tajinder Bagga, arrested just hours before from his west Delhi home. By evening, a team of cops from Delhi had reached Haryana’s Kurukshetre and Bagga’s struggle against the Punjab Police was nearing an end. “I think the more it is condemned the less it is,” Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar said later, while talking to reporters as he criticised the AAP government in Punjab over the attempt to arrest his party colleague.
Bagga has been accused of threatening Delhi chief minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal. A case was filed against the 36-year-old leader last month in Punjab, weeks after the Bhagwant Mann-government was sworn in.
Khattar on Friday said “(the) procedure wasn't followed” while arresting him. “Secondly, it's a political issue as during the polls, Bagga had delivered speeches. Speeches normally include political content and blaming. If something happens, the Election Commission takes note and then the police looks into it,” he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
“Political issues don't unfold like this. But forcing the Punjab Police to pick up a political figure in this manner...there should at least be a little amiability. If enmity between political parties rises like this, there'll be problems. This shouldn't have been done,” the Haryana chief minister said.
Haryana home minister Anil Vij, responsible for the state’s security, further told ANI: “Tajinder Bagga was kidnapped and was being taken to Punjab... We then handed him over to Delhi Police. Punjab has become a torture house for AAP. Why's every case being registered in Punjab? Even Delhi can register cases.”
Three states got involved as Tajinder Pal Bagga's arrest triggered a massive uproar by the BJP leaders and most of them were on an overdrive on Twitter the entire day. Some party workers even went to a Delhi Police station to hold demonstrations.
He returned home at around midnight after a day filled with high political drama.
The AAP has dismissed the BJP’s claims of ‘political vendetta’, saying that Bagga had evaded summons on previous occasions.
(With inputs from ANI)
