CHANDIGARH, MAY 29 — Aam Aadmi Party Punjab State Media In-charge Baltej Pannu on Thursday leveled sharp criticism against BJP Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu, asserting that the minister’s recent interactions with state police officers in Dhuri demonstrated a severe lack of decency and institutional respect.
Speaking during a press conference, Pannu stated that Bittu publicly misbehaved with on-duty Punjab Police officials in front of cameras, going so far as to direct derogatory terms toward the personnel. The media chief described the conduct as irresponsible for an official holding union-level office, noting that security forces deserve uniform respect across the board for their round-the-clock public safety efforts.
“Targeting an entire force and attempting to lower its morale for political drama is extremely dangerous,” Pannu said. “Security personnel risk their lives for the safety of people and they should never be insulted in this manner.”
Pannu took particular exception to Bittu’s broader claim that Punjabis routinely insult police personnel at security checkpoints. He stated that the comment insulted both the general public and a modernizing police force. Pointing to current infrastructure achievements, Pannu noted that Punjab’s specialized Sadak Surakhiya Force has significantly cut response times for accident victims, ensuring that honest citizens welcome visible law enforcement while only anti-social elements object to routine security checks.
The press briefing also turned toward past administrative practices, with Pannu raising questions regarding how Bittu’s brother was recruited as a DSP during the 2017 Congress administration. The AAP media leader claimed that multiple standard eligibility criteria, including educational requirements and age limits, were adjusted at the time to accommodate the family member’s appointment.
“If Ravneet Singh Bittu believes Punjab Police is so bad and claims Punjabis hate the force, then why did he go to such extraordinary lengths to get his own family member recruited into the same department?” Pannu questioned.
In contrast to previous political eras, Pannu asserted that the current administration led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has successfully distributed more than 65,000 public sector jobs entirely through transparent, merit-based selection processes. Concluding his remarks, Pannu demanded that the union minister issue an unconditional apology to the entire state force, specifically mentioning Sub-Inspector Navjot Kaur, who was directly involved in the Dhuri confrontation.
