Don’t we have democratic right to campaign in Punjab, are these govt-sponsored protests, asks BJP's state unit chief

BJP's Punjab unit chief Ashwani Sharma (Image: Twitter/@AshwaniSBJP)

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s democratic right to campaign as a political party is being thwarted in Punjab by the farmers and there seems to be no rule of the law with the police being mute spectators, the party's Punjab unit chief Ashwani Sharma told News18.

This came after 14 BJP leaders were allegedly held hostage in a house by farmers for nearly 12 hours in Punjab’s Rajpura on July 10 night and were rescued after the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s intervention.

BJP state leaders, who are facing farmers' anger on account of the three farm reform laws brought in by the Centre in 2020, went and met Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on July 12 to complain that they were in grave danger.

“Don’t we have the democratic right as a political party to campaign in Punjab? There have been 131 cases of violence against BJP leaders so far but the police always lodges a case against unidentified farmers and does not make any arrests though faces of farmers are visible in video footage and in the media reports in newspapers and TV channels. So are these government-sponsored protests against the BJP in Punjab?” Sharma told News18 in an interview.

Sharma also said that they have pointed it out to the chief minister that protesting teachers and unemployed youth are not allowed to come near the chief minister's residence and water-cannons and tear-gas is used to disperse them.

“Then why are farmers allowed to enter our pre-announced programmes in Punjab about which prior intimation is given to the police? In the Rajpura incident, the District Collector, SSP and DIG were all mute spectators. Even electricity and water was disconnected by farmers to the room where the BJP leaders were held hostage,” he said.

Sharma told News18 that all this showed that the Punjab government had failed in maintaining law and order. “We will give dharnas across Punjab on this issue and fight for our democratic rights. Punjab will run by the Constitution and not by the danda (stick). Incidents against us are taking place despite the presence of the police. The CM has given us some assurances but we will see how much those words translate on ground in days to come,” Sharma said.

He said it is common sense that if the government wants law and order to be ensured, it is not possible for the same to not happen.

News18 has learnt that both Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP National President JP Nadda are in constant touch with Sharma and the party has decided to turn up the heat on the Punjab government on this issue.

BJP has decided to contest all 117 seats in Punjab in the assembly elections scheduled for early next year, after its alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) collapsed over the farmer laws issue.

The farmers' issue has however also led to an implosion within the BJP in Punjab with many senior leaders taking up cudgels against the party’s stand. BJP has expelled its senior leader and former minister from Amritsar, Anil Joshi, for extending support to the farmers' agitation. Other senior BJP leaders like Master Mohan Lal and Rajkumar Gupta have also thrown their weight behind Joshi who has asked for Sharma’s resignation as the Punjab unit chief.