Chandigarh, Jan 29: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has launched a sharp critique of the Congress party following controversial remarks made by former Punjab Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal. During a press conference in Chandigarh on Thursday, AAP Punjab Media In-charge Baltej Pannu questioned the “criminal silence” maintained by Congress leadership after Bhattal claimed in a recent interview that she was once advised to permit bomb blasts in the state to secure a return to power for her party.
Pannu noted that despite the interview being widely circulated for over 24 hours, neither Bhattal nor any high-ranking Congress official has offered a clarification. He mentioned that this lack of response suggests a troubling attempt to hide an uncomfortable reality from the public.
“This silence raises serious questions. Are these statements true, or is Congress trying to bury a very uncomfortable truth?” Pannu said while addressing reporters.
The AAP spokesperson also drew parallels to past statements made by former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh regarding the treatment of youth in the state. Pannu said that Captain Amarinder Singh had previously discussed young men being presented before the Prime Minister only to be killed later, yet no formal investigation was pursued during his tenure. He asked why these issues were never addressed when the Congress was in power.
The gravity of using terror as a political instrument was a central point of the briefing. Pannu said that Punjab has already endured deep social and economic scars due to historical violence, and suggesting such tactics for electoral victory is unforgivable.
“Punjab has paid an unbearable price for violence during tough times. Families were destroyed, youth were lost, and the state is still carrying the burden,” Pannu noted.
He specifically called upon Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa to speak out. He said that the people of Punjab deserve to know the identities of the leaders and advisors who allegedly proposed such a violent strategy. Pannu further suggested that if Bhattal’s claims hold weight, they could shed new light on incidents like the 2017 pre-election blast.
In contrast to traditional parties, Pannu said that the current government under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann remains firm on protecting the state’s dignity. He mentioned that AAP would ensure Punjab is never again used as a “laboratory for political experiments.”
