National Times Bureau :- The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched its groundwork for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections by promoting eight central government schemes across towns and villages. As part of this outreach, the party has been setting up registration camps, which it claims are aimed at connecting people with welfare programmes. However, opposition parties allege that this is a strategy to strengthen BJP’s vote bank in the state.
Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar was on his way to Raipur village in Fazilka district when police stopped him mid-route at the Kala Tibba toll plaza on Abohar–Dabwali road. In response, Jakhar staged a sit-in protest at the spot.
Data Privacy Concerns Raised
According to reports, the BJP has been directly registering people on government portals for these schemes, a move that has drawn objections from the Punjab government. The state administration argues that this responsibility lies with the state machinery and has warned of potential risks of data theft.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) questioned how any political party could collect and register people’s personal information for government schemes. Recently, the Punjab government issued orders to all deputy commissioners, cautioning that private operators were collecting citizens’ personal details under the guise of government schemes.
Citing the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, the government said unauthorized collection and sharing of private information is a punishable offence. Authorities have been directed to ensure no such violations occur, and strict action will be taken against anyone found involved.
