Chandigarh, May 21
Launching a strong attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab Media In-Charge Baltej Pannu on Thursday accused the BJP of misusing central agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to threaten, pressure and politically blackmail people into joining the party.
Addressing a press conference, AAP Punjab Media In-charge Baltej Pannu pointed out that across the country, businessmen, university owners and political leaders are first raided or issued notices by central agencies and are later inducted into the BJP, after which no further action is taken against them. “This has become the BJP’s standard political model across the country. First ED and CBI notices are issued, then pressure is created, and later people are told that if they join the BJP, all action against them will stop. The BJP is openly using central agencies for political expansion,” he added.
Referring to Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Mittal, Pannu said, “Mittal was raided and later joined the BJP. Similarly, despite pressure and raids, AAP leader Sanjeev Arora did not bow before the BJP, after which he was arrested. In another case, Gaurav Bagga received a CBI notice in connection with the Dalal Krishanu case and within days he was inducted into the BJP by Punjab BJP President Sunil Jakhar.” He added, “The BJP is in such haste to expand its party that notices are allegedly issued first and messages are sent later asking people to join the BJP to avoid further action. BJP’s own social media pages show Gaurav Bagga being inducted into the party despite facing a CBI notice.”
Targeting Punjab BJP President Sunil Jakhar, Pannu said, “Jakhar once claimed that the BJP would uproot CM Bhagwant Singh Mann from Punjab politics. But the way BJP is inducting people today clearly exposes its politics of pressure, fear and intimidation.”
Taking on Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu over his recent remarks in Punjab, Pannu referred to Bittu’s visit to the hospital in Dhuri and said the Union Minister himself recorded videos praising the hospital arrangements, the OPD catering to nearly 600 patients and the NGO-run food services. Pannu said, “Ravneet Singh Bittu himself admitted that around 100 people accompanying him were served food there. But after coming outside, he started claiming that there were no patients in the hospital and only stray dogs were present. These contradictory statements expose his political hypocrisy.”
