BREAKING NEWS:
MLA Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra, an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator from Sanaur, has been at the centre of a political controversy in Punjab. The situation involves a series of events:
Attacks on the Party Leadership and Government
Pathanmajra has been outspoken in his criticism of the central leadership of his own party and administration, especially in relation to how they handled the recent floods in his constituency.
He said that senior officials’ carelessness and failure to take preventative actions, such as de-silting waterways, exacerbated the floods. Among them was Principal Secretary (Water Resources) Krishan Kumar.
He openly attacked the central leadership of his own party, saying they were disregarding the concerns of local MLAs and attempting to rule Punjab from Delhi.
He urged Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to “stand like a man” for Punjab and to pay more attention to the state’s MLAs than to bureaucrats.
Removal of Security
The state administration reportedly withdrew Pathanmajra’s protection detail of 12 gunmen after he publicly criticised him.
According to his brother Hardev Singh, who corroborated the security removal, his brother was punished for speaking out.
Arrest on Allegations of Rape
Following the removal of security, Pathanmajra was taken into custody by Patiala police in Haryana on suspicion of previous rapes.
He had previously announced on Facebook Live that he was the subject of a rape case in a previous case involving his ex-wife.
Based on a complaint from a lady who said he misrepresented his marital status and persisted in taking advantage of her, the FIR apparently included charges of rape, cheating, and criminal intimidation.
Later Occurrences
According to the SSP in Patiala, Pathanmajra has now “absconded from police custody”.
Opposition parties have criticised Pathanmajra’s conduct; Congress MLA Sukhpal Khaira has accused the AAP of employing “coercive tactics” to stifle dissent.
With some lawmakers allegedly feeling uneasy about the influence of bureaucrats and a perceived lack of response to local issues, the incident reveals a serious political gap and simmering tensions within the Punjab AAP unit.
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