Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar on Thursday criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s special Assembly session to introduce a new anti-sacrilege law, calling it a “political drama” instead of a serious move.
Responding to Finance Minister Harpal Cheema’s remarks about gangster Lawrence Bishnoi being in Gujarat jail, Jakhar questioned why the AAP allowed Bishnoi to give interviews from jail in the first place. He asked, “Why are AAP leaders quiet about who allowed Lawrence Bishnoi to speak to the media while in police custody?”
At a press conference with BJP’s new working president Ashwani Sharma, Jakhar said the law and order situation in Punjab is getting worse. He blamed Arvind Kejriwal’s remote leadership for the growing fear and insecurity among people in the state.
Jakhar also said the AAP government did not consult religious bodies before drafting the new anti-sacrilege law. He criticized the government for not sharing the Bill with MLAs or the public and called the move “irresponsible.” While he said the BJP supports real efforts to stop sacrilege, he rejected the AAP’s actions as just a show.
He pointed out that over 300 sacrilege cases have happened since 2015, but very few led to punishments. He suggested the law should also punish political leaders who visit religious places while intoxicated.
Jakhar also targeted the AAP government’s land pooling policy. He accused it of secretly taking over large pieces of farmland without any public need, to benefit Kejriwal’s close people. He claimed land powers were shifted from the Chief Minister to the Chief Secretary and that changes to land laws were made without Cabinet approval. He also said the government quietly reduced the time allowed for public objections from 30 to 15 days.
Jakhar said the BJP is looking into the legal side of the issue and may go to court. He promised that no farmer’s land would be taken without their permission.
Finally, he slammed the Congress party for staying silent and claimed it has “surrendered” to the AAP government.
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