CHANDIGARH, April 25 — Aam Aadmi Party senior leader and Member of Parliament Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer declared Friday that Union Home Minister Amit Shah is overseeing a systematic effort to dismantle the AAP through targeted federal raids and political inducements. Speaking at a press conference, the MP maintained that recent actions by the Enforcement Directorate and Central Bureau of Investigation against party leaders are part of a national pattern designed to weaken the opposition before elections.
Hayer stated that the BJP has utilized a specific model for over a decade to undermine democratic processes by intimidating rivals. He noted that leaders in states like Assam and Maharashtra, who previously faced corruption inquiries, were suddenly cleared of suspicion upon joining the ruling party. The MP affirmed that this “washing machine” politics, where individuals are supposedly cleaned of legal troubles by switching allegiances, would not find success in Punjab.
The lawmaker specifically referenced recent searches at the properties of Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Mittal and Minister Sanjeev Arora. He asserted that these moves are part of a broader conspiracy orchestrated by the central leadership. “The BJP is forgetting that AAP leaders and workers are firmly committed to their principles,” Hayer said. He noted that despite various offers, leaders like Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain chose incarceration over surrendering to political pressure.
During the address, Hayer also expressed significant disappointment regarding the conduct of Raghav Chadha. He maintained that Chadha benefited from the national platform provided by Arvind Kejriwal but chose to leave for overseas during the party’s most challenging period. The MP declared that Chadha’s silence following Kejriwal’s release from jail suggests an underlying understanding with the central government.
Hayer also commented on the internal dynamics of the BJP, stating that original party workers are being sidelined in favor of former Congress members. He cited the prominence of figures like Ravneet Bittu and Sunil Jakhar as evidence of this shift. He concluded by declaring that Punjab’s history of struggle ensures that its people will not be intimidated by the threat of jail or legal cases, warning that the BJP would face political consequences for its current strategy.
