Ludhiana: The national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Arvind Kejriwal, said on Tuesday that an AAP government would ensure the safety of every person in Punjab, irrespective of their religion or caste.
Kejriwal said there is an atmosphere of fear among the people in Punjab due to the sacrilege and bomb blast incidents in the past. People are worried about their safety, said the Delhi Chief Minister.
Giving an example, Kejriwal said, “On Monday, a man came to me and said, ‘I am a Hindu. There is a lot of concern about security in my mind these days. The incidents of sacrilege are disturbing. Me and my family are scared’.”
Kejriwal said there is fear among the people in the poll-bound state due to the pathetic condition of law and order, frequent incidents of sacrilege and dirty politics of the Congress and the BJP over the Prime Minister’s security breach last month.
“In view of all these incidents, today I want to assure all the individuals and businessmen of Punjab, whether they are Hindu, Sikh, Muslim or Christian, that the AAP government will take responsibility of the security of three crore Punjabis. The AAP government will be responsible for the security of every individual, every trader in Punjab,” Kejriwal said.
On how the relationship with the Central government will be if AAP manages to form the government in Punjab, Kejriwal said, “Our government in Delhi has many differences with the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre. Despite this, we always supported the Central government on the issue of security of the country and welfare of its people.
“Even during Covid-19, we tried to work in coordination with the Centre and saved the lives of lakhs of people in Delhi. When the Aam Aadmi Party forms the government in Punjab, we will fix the relationship with the Centre and work in coordination for the betterment of the state.”
On the issue of smuggling of drugs from across the border, Kejriwal said, “We will stop infiltration, drugs smuggling and drones coming from across the border by guarding Punjab’s (international) border.”
The AAP leader said that only an honest government is needed to make Punjab safe and drugs-free.
“If an honest government is formed, Punjab Police will work with full sincerity and dedication and will ensure the safety of Punjab and its people,” he said.
Kejriwal said the previous Congress and Akali governments were marred by by corruption and mafia raj, adding that money and bribe was involved in the transfer posting of police officers.
“Therefore, it was their (police personnel) compulsion to give exemption to drugs mafia, sand mafia and other mafias. AAP government will work with complete honesty, and the same Punjab Police will take action against all such criminals.”
The AAP government will give strict punishment to all the culprits and masterminds by conducting fair and independent investigation into all the incidents of previous sacrilege, so that no one can dare to commit such a crime in the future, he added.
The 117-member Punjab Assembly will go to the polls on February 20, while the counting of votes will be taken up on March 10.
In the 2017 Assembly polls, the Congress had won 77 seats, while the SAD-BJP alliance could win only 18 seats. The AAP emerged as the second-largest party with 20 seats.
–IANS
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