Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab Media In-charge Baltej Pannu on Monday said the BJP, unable to fight Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann politically, is now resorting to back-channel tactics to target him ahead of the elections. The AAP Punjab Media In-charge affirmed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) – Enforcement Directorate (ED) action against the Bhagwant Mann Government team is part of the same pattern of using central agencies to target elected governments before elections, as witnessed in Delhi, and asserted that the BJP had failed to find anything against Punjab’s most honest Chief Minister.
The AAP Punjab Media In-charge pointed out said that despite the Centre trying every possible way to create obstacles for Punjab, the government led by CM Bhagwant Singh Mann had continued delivering welfare schemes to the people, while Punjab Cabinet Minister Aman Arora said the Punjab Government would challenge the Punjab and Haryana High Court order in the Supreme Court.
In a statement, AAP Punjab Media In-charge Baltej Pannu said, “The BJP is conspiring to defame CM Bhagwant Singh Mann before the elections. The BJP cannot fight the Punjab Chief Minister politically and is therefore attempting to target him through back channels. The CBI-ED action against the Punjab Government team is part of the same pattern of targeting elected governments ahead of elections, as has happened in Delhi. The BJP has failed to find anything against Punjab’s most honest Chief Minister and is consequently resorting to such tactics to target CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.”
The AAP Punjab Media In-charge said the Centre did not want the people of Punjab to continue receiving the facilities being provided by the CM Bhagwant Singh Mann Government and had attempted to create obstacles by withholding funds meant for the state. “Whether it is 600 units of free electricity, daytime power supply for farmers, canal water reaching around 83% of agricultural land, ₹10 lakh cashless healthcare or financial assistance reaching women’s bank accounts, the Bhagwant Mann Government has continued to deliver,” he said.
The AAP Punjab Media In-charge said that despite the Centre withholding Punjab’s funds, including funds related to flood relief, the state government had managed its resources efficiently and continued delivering public welfare. “The honest government led by CM Bhagwant Singh Mann has not only continued these schemes through its own resources, but has run them in a better manner,” he said.
He said the Centre’s concern was that as long as Punjab’s people continued receiving these benefits, the political narrative being attempted against the Bhagwant Mann government would not succeed. “That is why the team working with CM Bhagwant Singh Mann is being targeted through one method or another,” he said.
He pointed out this is not an isolated pattern and alleged that similar tactics had been used by the Central Government in states where elections were approaching. “Wherever elections take place, the same tactics are adopted by the Centre. The names and cases may be different, but the method remains the same,” he said.
