New Delhi: As part of Congress party’s ‘AAP ke Pap’ (Sins of AAP) series, former Delhi Assembly speaker Ajay Maken on Monday hit out at AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal for the lawlessness in Punjab that has resulted in a desecration incident in Amritsar and revival of terror in the state.
Calling Kejriwal a ‘khalnayak’ (villain) and ‘anarchist’, Maken condemned the vandalisation of Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar’s statue in Amritsar on Sunday due to growing lawlessness in Punjab and accused the AAP of shielding terrorists who have undertaken 11 blasts in Punjab under Bhagwant Singh Mann government.
“The time has come to show the door to anarchist Kejriwal who is behind lawlessness in Punjab,” Maken said.
Using a slideshow at a press conference, Maken showcased a news clip of February 2, 2017, based on the statement of top cop K.P.S. Gill in which he had warned that the AAP’s election in Punjab will promote radicals.
Accusing the AAP of harbouring pro-Khalistan elements, Maken said in Punjab police station areas were being attacked with Austria-make grenades that were like the ones used in Mumbai and Parliament terror attacks — an indirect reference to the involvement of Pakistani agencies in the incidents.
Accompanied by former Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Maken said the act of vandalism of Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar’s statue in Amritsar had sparked widespread outrage and condemned the disrespect shown to the architect of the Indian Constitution.
The vandalism occurred on January 26 when accused Akashdeep Singh, reportedly belonging to the Scheduled Caste community, defaced the statue on Heritage Street near the Golden Temple complex.
Randhawa said Kejriwal’s development model is ruining the country. “In Punjab, he sells the Delhi model and when he is in Delhi he touts the Punjab model,” he said.
Raising serious concerns over Kejriwal’s alleged links with radicals, Randhawa cited the former Delhi chief minister’s proximity with a 2017 temple blast accused Gurinder Singh, whose hospitality the AAP leader enjoyed during his overnight stay at the former’s home.
Pointing to a claim by a ‘pro-Khalistan’ group in March 2024 that it donated $16 million (Rs 128 crore) to the AAP, Randhawa said the ruling Punjab government did not register any case against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Canadian-American lawyer and co-founder of pro-Khalistan advocacy organisation Sikhs for Justice, despite his threats issued to AAP leaders.
Randhawa alleged AAP MP Raghav Chadha has been in constant touch with pro-Khalistan radicals – both on the phone and through physical meetings.
The Congress leader from Punjab said 11 attacks using grenades and explosives have taken place in the state over the past few months and the state police were in denial.
“Every time there is a bomb blast, the state police dismiss it as a cracker blast or radiator blast in car,” he said, adding that walls of police stations were being raised and roads leading to police stations were being blocked after sunset to prevent terror attacks.
He also accused the AAP of promoting drug menace in Punjab and allowing the flow of narcotics from Delhi to the agrarian state.
(IANS)
