Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has criticised the BJP over the arrest of former Delhi minister and AAP Punjab co-incharge Satyendar Jain, alleging that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) action is politically motivated.
Mann claimed that the BJP was unable to gain a foothold in Punjab and had therefore targeted AAP’s Punjab co-incharge. He said the case being referred to relates to a period when Jain was already in jail.
“We hope the court will deliver justice,” Mann said, alleging that a pattern had emerged of opposition leaders being arrested for two or three months around elections.
Mann accuses BJP of using ‘anti-democratic’ tactics
Mann described the BJP’s approach as “anti-democratic” and accused it of using what he called “cheap tactics” against political opponents.
Referring to previous arrests, he said Sanjay Singh and Manish Sisodia were arrested during the Delhi election period and also cited former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s case, saying the court had not accepted the allegations against him.
On ED notices and allegations, Mann said opposition parties were targeting AAP because they were unable to find an opportunity to challenge the party politically.
He added that he did not need to obtain an “honesty certificate” from anyone and accused those criticising his government of having previously “looted Punjab”.
