Chandigarh: AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal on Monday accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of threatening to destabilize the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government after the Lok Sabha elections, claiming that such actions indicate a trend towards dictatorship in the country.
During a rally in Ludhiana on Sunday, Union Minister Shah urged voters to support BJP candidates in Punjab, suggesting that the Bhagwant Mann government would not endure following a BJP victory.
Addressing a gathering of traders in Amritsar on Monday, Kejriwal responded, “Have you heard Amit Shah’s statement? He issued a threat. Initially, he disparaged Punjabis significantly and then warned that after June 4, the Punjab government would be overthrown, and Bhagwant Mann would no longer remain Chief Minister.”
Kejriwal questioned the feasibility of such a threat, stating, “We have 92 seats (MLAs). How can you topple the government? This indicates a dictatorship.” He alleged that BJP leaders openly discuss using agencies like the CBI and ED to intimidate and coerce legislators.
In his remarks, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann challenged Shah’s statement, asking, “Do you have the courage to topple the government? We have 92 seats. Are you here to seek votes or to threaten the government?”
During his address in Amritsar, Kejriwal also criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for remaining silent on issues such as unemployment and inflation. He said, “Modi has been claiming that the INDIA bloc will take away people’s buffaloes and ‘mangalsutras’. He should address the real problems faced by the people.”
Kejriwal also condemned BJP’s Puri Lok Sabha candidate Sambit Patra’s remark that “Lord Jagannath is Modi’s devotee,” which Patra later clarified as a slip of the tongue.
Further criticizing the BJP-led central government, Kejriwal accused it of withholding Rs 9,000 crore of Punjab’s funds, including Rs 5,500 crore from the rural development fund. “This is hooliganism and dictatorship. There should be no politics over development. This is not their money; it is the money of the people of Punjab,” he asserted.
Kejriwal also claimed his recent arrest was intended to hinder his campaign efforts for the Lok Sabha elections. He was arrested in a money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam in March and is currently out on interim bail until June 1.
