CHANDIGARH: Alleging that constitutional bodies and federal investigative agencies act as an advance “flying squad” for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) whenever elections approach in any state, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Thursday launched a fierce attack on the BJP-led Central government over the ongoing Enforcement Directorate (ED) searches in the state.Addressing a press conference, Cheema accused the ED of “behaving like dacoits” and breaking into locked premises to intimidate the state ahead of assembly elections.“In whichever state an assembly election is due, a flying squad of the Bharatiya Janata Party arrives there first. First of all, the Election Commission is sent to figure out how to delete the votes of the opposition party. After that, the CBI is sent, then the ED is sent, and the Income Tax Commissioner is sent-to harass the local people and create an atmosphere of fear and intimidation. The Bharatiya Janata Party orchestrates this through all these agencies,” Cheema alleged.Accusing the Prime Minister of acting out of fear, Cheema said, “Prime Minister Modi is terrified today. He is scared of the children, the youth, and the elderly of this country-fearing that the people have turned against the BJP and Modi ji. That is why Modi ji has now weaponized the ED and pushed it forward. Premises of ours that are locked-searches are being conducted on those locked premises and locks are being broken. The BJP’s ED is behaving like dacoits.”Producing an official document from a search conducted at the residence of a relative of Punjab Cabinet Minister Hardev Singh Mundian, Cheema asserted that the raid had drawn a total blank.“I have an official document right here with me. A raid was conducted at the residence of a relative of our minister, Hardev Singh Mundian ji. They found absolutely nothing there. It is clearly recorded here… they have officially written that ‘During the search… No incriminating document was recovered and seized from this house,'” Cheema said.“Nothing-absolutely nothing-was found at their residence. By raiding people through their relatives’ homes, they are attempting to terrify and intimidate the people of Punjab. The people of Punjab will never tolerate this. Last time, the BJP won just two seats; this time, the people will reduce them to zero,” the minister added.Confirming that the state government and the party would fight the agency’s actions through constitutional means, the Finance Minister said, “Now they have targeted the entirety of Punjab. A conspiracy to defame Punjab and malign Punjabis has been hatched by the Bharatiya Janata Party. We will completely expose this conspiracy. We will take legal action, we will knock on the doors of the court, and alongside that, three crore Punjabis will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with us and fight firmly against the BJP.“Cheema also lashed out at the ShiromAkali Dal (SAD), accusing the BJP’s former ally of past misgovernance regarding drugs and sacrilege incidents, claiming that both parties now face widespread rejection across Punjab.“Today, the Constitution is being torn to shreds. The voting rights that Babasaheb secured for the citizens under the Constitution-the BJP has hatched a large-scale conspiracy across the country to eradicate those very rights. The BJP’s junior partner in Punjab-the Akali Dal-is hatching conspiracies in Punjab. Earlier, when the Akali Dal-BJP government was in power in Punjab, they peddled drugs across the state. They committed sacrilege against Guru Granth Sahib in Punjab. They had bullets fired at the youth in Punjab. Today, how that very Akali Dal is physically exploiting our women, our elderly, and our daughters stands completely exposed before the nation. This means that parties like the Akali Dal and BJP, which were already despised in Punjab, have now become objects of hatred across the whole country. Their days are numbered, and their downfall has begun,” he asserted.Echoing similar concerns, AAP Punjab senior leader and Punjab Cabinet Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak accused the Centre of attempting to suppress Punjab through probe agencies, alleging that targeting administrative officers and elected leaders has become a routine tactic for the ruling party.“They want to suppress Punjab through agencies because it has been the standard practice of the Central government that wherever elections are due, the BJP deploys agencies to intimidate officials first and then target politicians. States like Bihar and Delhi can be cited as examples, where cases were first registered against AAP leaders, and they were kept in jail during election time, even though those cases could not hold up in court and were quashed by the judiciary-something people everywhere are witnessing,” Kataruchak said. (ANI)
