PUNJAB GOVERNMENT NEITHER COMMANDS FEAR NOR ENJOYS RESPECT AND CREDIBILITY, APPEAL TO YOUTH NOT TO IDOLISE GANGSTERS,  NEW RURAL EMPLOYMENT LAW WILL CURB CORRUPTION AND GIVE THE POOR A LEGAL RIGHT TO EMPLOYMENT

Bharatiya Janata Party’s Punjab state president Sunil Jakhar has demanded an impartial and time-bound investigation into the allegations made by a gangster during a TV interview, in which he accused the Punjab Chief Minister and the ruling party of taking help from gangsters during the Zila Parishad elections.

Addressing a press conference here today, the BJP state president said that even now he is prepared to believe the word of the Punjab Chief Minister rather than that of a gangster, but to maintain this trust, the Chief Minister must ensure an immediate investigation into these serious allegations. It is noteworthy that in a television interview, a gangster alleged that during the elections the Punjab government brought a gangster from an Assam jail to Punjab in the name of interrogation and not only made him place threatening calls to voters but also spoke with CM Mann himself.

Sunil Jakhar said that the entry of gangsters into politics poses a grave threat to democracy. He said it is shameful that allegations of this nature are being levelled against the party of Arvind Kejriwal, who had announced on November 7 that gangsters would be eliminated from Punjab within seven days. He added that today the Punjab government neither commands fear nor enjoys respect and credibility. This government has even tarnished the credibility of the Punjab Police, which had played a historic role in eliminating terrorism from the state.

Appealing to the media, the BJP president said that the media should understand its moral responsibility and refrain from giving space to gangsters. He also urged the youth of Punjab not to consider such elements as role models, stating that they are enemies of society. He cautioned against projecting gangsters as “Robin Hood” figures.

Sunil Jakhar said the state government has failed on every front. Economically, Punjab has reached the brink of bankruptcy, and people are continuously receiving threatening phone calls. He urged Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to ensure that the dignity of the Chief Minister’s office is not eroded.

He said the situation has become so alarming that after incidents, gangsters openly claim responsibility. Raising questions over the ongoing encounters, he said such actions break the link between the actual culprits and the police, allowing the real masterminds to remain protected forever. He said the police must think about its credibility, as a perception is forming among the public that small-time criminals are killed in encounters while the real powers escape. It would be better, he said, if punishment is delivered by the courts.

Responding to a question on the new rural employment law brought by the Central government, the BJP state president questioned the Punjab government, stating that under the old law—which the AAP and Congress claim to be adequate—why was an average of only 26.25 days of employment per family provided in Punjab up to December 13, 2025. Similarly, he said, the average in previous years has been only 38 days of employment per family per year. He asked why the Punjab government failed to provide 100 days of employment. He said the truth is that these parties are not concerned about the poor; rather, they fear that the new law will put a check on the corruption carried out by their favoured individuals.