Chandigarh, March 20: Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Punjab Assembly, Partap Singh Bajwa, on Thursday accused Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of acting on the directions of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Union Government by cracking down on farmers protesting at Shambhu and Khanauri borders.
“First, a fake narrative was built, claiming farmers had blocked the highway and caused losses to Punjab’s industry. In reality, it was the BJP-led Haryana government that sealed the highway to prevent farmers from reaching Delhi. Now, at the BJP’s behest, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) launched an undemocratic crackdown on the farmers,” Bajwa said.
The senior Congress leader alleged that farm union leaders Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Sarwan Singh Pandher were arrested “in a cowardly manner,” marking the first time in Punjab’s history that union leaders were detained under the pretext of a meeting.
“CM Mann has backstabbed Punjab’s farmers. Earlier, he displayed boorish behavior during a meeting with union leaders,” Bajwa added.
He also condemned the violence at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders, stating that “hundreds of farmers were seriously injured by the barbarity of the Haryana Police.”
Referring to the death of farmer Shubhkaran Singh, allegedly shot by Haryana Police, Bajwa slammed Mann’s inaction. “Punjab Police, under Home Minister Bhagwant Mann, failed to act. I have repeatedly raised this issue and will not mince words—AAP and BJP are two sides of the same coin. Mann is merely a puppet of the BJP,” he said.
Bajwa also accused the Mann government of failing to protect jawans, referring to the alleged assault on Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath and his son by Punjab Police in Patiala.
“It has been a week since Colonel Bath and his son were brutally beaten, yet Mann, who also holds the Home portfolio, has remained silent. Despite police being under his jurisdiction, the names of the accused officers have not been made public. They appear to be Mann’s blue-eyed boys,” Bajwa alleged.
Calling the incident a “national disgrace,” Bajwa demanded strict action. “Mere suspension of the accused will not bring justice to the colonel and his family. Mann must use his power as Home Minister to dismiss the accused and initiate an inquiry by a sitting judge. Why is he shielding them?” he asked.
