Chandigarh, May 9
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) declared the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid at Minister Sanjeev Arora’s residence and his arrest as a completely politically motivated act. Condemning the BJP-led Central Government in the strongest terms, AAP said that whenever the BJP sees itself losing political ground in elections, it conspires to crush the voice of the opposition by unleashing investigative agencies against them. The action against Sanjeev Arora is part of that same politics of vendetta.
On this, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema stated, “Just as BJP misused the machinery of ED, CBI and other central agencies in West Bengal and other states to manipulate elections and form governments, the same dirty game is now being played in Punjab. This is not merely a raid on Sanjeev Arora, but an attack on Punjab and the pride of 3 crore Punjabis. Frustrated by its repeated failures, BJP is attacking Punjab through central agencies.”
Questioning the role of central agencies, Cheema said, “BJP’s sole agenda is to eliminate opposition parties from the country. Earlier Aman Arora was targeted, and now ED has once again been used against Sanjeev Arora. Intoxicated with power, BJP is misusing constitutional institutions to intimidate opposition leaders so that no one dares to raise their voice against it.”
Cheema added, “BJP’s actions are part of a deep conspiracy to destroy the Constitution framed by Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. BJP is directly attacking the Constitution, something that the Aam Aadmi Party and the people of Punjab will never allow to succeed. The people of Punjab fully understand BJP’s malicious intentions. The 3 crore people of Punjab stand united. No matter how hard BJP tries, it will continue to face crushing defeats on Punjab’s soil. We will strongly oppose this dictatorship and will never bow down.”
Meanwhile, Cabinet Minister Aman Arora stated, “BJP is making desperate attempts to establish political ground in Punjab by misusing central agencies. Astonishingly, this is the third raid at Sanjeev Arora’s residence within a year and the second within just ten days. These raids are not about investigation but are merely politics of intimidation. BJP’s only objective is to scare and defame Aam Aadmi Party leaders.”
Targeting the Central Government, he said, “BJP and its agencies should not remain under any misconception. Punjab is the land of Gurus and martyrs. If even Aurangzeb could not crush its spirit, how can BJP do so? This is the land of Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh and Udham Singh, whom even the British could not bend.”
Warning against attempts to intimidate Punjab, Arora asserted, “Punjabis can sacrifice their lives out of love, but they never bow before dictatorship. I caution the Central Government and its agencies to refrain from such disgraceful actions. Through these tactics, BJP will neither be able to bend Punjab, nor the Aam Aadmi Party, nor the spirit of 3 crore Punjabis. The methods being adopted by BJP to throttle democracy will ultimately prove dangerous for the party itself. The people of Punjab are watching everything and will give a befitting reply to this dictatorship at the right time.”
