Chandigarh: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday launched a sharp attack on the BJP, Congress and Akali Dal, accusing the Opposition of trying to exploit a tragic death for political gains. The party said the bereaved family should be allowed to grieve with dignity and asserted that “politics over dead bodies” cannot be permitted.
AAP Punjab State General Secretary (Organisation) and Media In-charge Baltej Pannu accused the Opposition parties of indulging in “vulture politics” by rushing to politicise every tragedy and attempting to derive political mileage from a family’s grief.
In a video message, Pannu said, “Punjab’s Opposition parties are doing such dirty politics at present that it can be called the politics of vultures. Wherever someone has committed suicide or wherever a dead body is found, they reach there and try to bake their political bread over the funeral pyre.”
AAP questions Opposition’s record during previous governments
Pannu questioned the Opposition’s record on similar incidents during previous governments. Referring to the tenure of former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, he alleged that a person running a paratha business had died by suicide after naming someone, but no case was registered.
He also referred to the deaths of around 750 farmers during the farmers’ protest at Delhi’s borders, alleging that the Opposition did not show the same concern at that time.
Pannu said the Opposition had immediately moved to politicise the latest case. “One person committed suicide and they immediately set out to do politics over his dead body. His last rites were performed with the consent of his family. Despite this, they are refusing to stop this politics,” he said.
‘Punjab is a sensitive state, Opposition should show restraint’
Pannu said political parties, particularly those in the Opposition, should show greater sensitivity when dealing with the death of a person and the grief of a family.
“Punjab is a sensitive state. At the very least, there should be sensitivity among those sitting in the Opposition. But they have no such sensitivity,” he said.
He added that the Punjab Government stood with every resident and their family and would not allow such politics to continue.
BJP, Congress and Akali Dal desperate in Punjab: Anurag Dhanda
AAP National Media In-charge Anurag Dhanda separately attacked the BJP, Congress and Akali Dal, alleging that they had become “extremely desperate” in Punjab.
Dhanda said the AAP government’s efforts to promote sports and control drugs had left the Opposition rattled. He said controlling drugs was a long process, but claimed the government’s actions had frustrated its political rivals.
He said that when a person approaches a minister with a problem, it shows that the person has faith in the government. According to Dhanda, as soon as the complaint was raised, everyone named by the family was taken into police custody and arrested.
Dhanda questions circumstances surrounding deceased’s videos
Dhanda questioned the circumstances in which videos released by the deceased were recorded. He said the first video released after the incident did not mention the name of any AAP minister.
He also questioned the circumstances surrounding another video allegedly recorded after the person had consumed poison.
“When that person consumed poison, pressure was put on him to record another video, telling him that he would not be taken to hospital until he named the minister. So who killed him?” Dhanda asked, demanding an investigation into the circumstances of the episode.
He said those attempting to use the tragedy for political purposes should also come under scrutiny and called for an investigation into who was behind the alleged pressure.
‘Is this not politics over dead bodies?’ asks AAP
Dhanda alleged that instead of immediately taking the person to hospital after he consumed sulphas, a video was made.
“After that, instead of stopping him on the way and taking him to hospital, you made him record a video. Is this not politics over dead bodies?” he asked.
He questioned whether the BJP, Congress and Akali Dal had reached a point where political interests were being placed above human life.
No political protection for drug traffickers: Dhanda
On the Punjab Government’s anti-drug campaign, Dhanda said political affiliation would not protect anyone involved in drug trafficking. He said the Bhagwant Mann Government would not spare any drug trafficker, regardless of whether the person was connected to the BJP, Congress or Akali Dal.
“Thousands of drug traffickers have been arrested and sent to jail. They will serve their sentences. Whoever is named in the future will also be dealt with,” he said.
Dhanda targets previous BJP-Akali government over drug menace
Dhanda accused the previous BJP-Akali government of allowing the drug trade to flourish through alleged political patronage. He alleged that drug mafias were able to operate openly during the 2007-2017 period and questioned how many drug traffickers were jailed during that tenure.
Dhanda also alleged that drugs were transported in vehicles belonging to ministers during that period and said those allegations were a matter of record.
AAP says Opposition wants to bring back ‘dark phase’ of 2007-17
Dhanda accused the Opposition of attempting to revive what he described as Punjab’s “dark phase” between 2007 and 2017. aHe alleged that drug traffickers had a free run during that period while people continued to die because of the drug menace.
He said the previous government was no longer in power and asserted that the Bhagwant Mann Government would continue its campaign against drugs without making any distinction based on political connections.
“Whether they have the backing of the Congress, the BJP or senior Akali leaders, no drug trafficker will be allowed to escape,” Dhanda said.
