Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu intensified his attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Punjab government during the ongoing civic poll campaign in Bathinda. He accused the ruling party of employing divisive tactics, including compelling Punjabis to speak Hindi and stigmatising them through a recently conducted drug census exercise.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that Bittu alleged the AAP’s strategy involved pressuring individuals to use Hindi and subsequently labeling them as drug addicts. He further claimed that public discontent with the AAP administration had surpassed the resentment observed against political parties in both the 2017 and 2022 state elections.
Bittu elaborated on his stance regarding language, stating that Punjabi was the mother tongue, while Hindi, in his analogy, was akin to a maternal aunt. He also voiced strong criticism of the state government’s drug census initiative, raising questions about the rationale behind collecting personal data of individuals identified as addicts. He expressed concern that such classifications could negatively impact employment opportunities, driving licence eligibility, and prospects for marriage.
“Data is power nowadays. Why are they collecting such data instead of releasing data on the total number of doctors and nurses in government-run hospitals?” Bittu questioned, highlighting a perceived misallocation of governmental focus. He further directed sharp criticisms at AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and senior leader Manish Sisodia, likening the party to “filth” and its leaders to “cockroaches.” In a metaphorical contrast, Bittu suggested that while the AAP’s broom symbol represented a small cleaning tool, Prime Minister Narendra Modi possessed “jetting and suction machines powerful enough to remove any filth and unclog anything.”
The Union Minister also made allegations concerning the visit of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and Kejriwal to meet incarcerated former cabinet minister Sanjeev Arora. Bittu contended that their visit was not motivated by empathy but rather by a desire to ascertain the whereabouts of potentially stashed money. He further accused the state government of failing to honour its electoral promises concerning job creation and the regularisation of employees. Bittu pointed out that even government employees were reportedly being compelled to seek legal recourse over issues related to dearness allowance arrears.
Bittu did not spare local political figures, labelling Amarjit Singh Mehta, chairman of the Punjab Cricket Association, and his son, former Bathinda Mayor Padamjeet Singh Mehta, as the “biggest cheats” of Bathinda. He also noted the apparent lack of active campaigning by local AAP MLA Jagroop Singh Gill and Cabinet Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian for party candidates in the civic polls, interpreting this as a signal to AAP workers regarding their preferred allegiances.
Addressing the broader political landscape, Bittu urged voters to abstain from supporting the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) or the Congress. He asserted that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) intended to contest the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections as an independent entity. Bittu highlighted the BJP’s comprehensive participation in the current civic polls, as well as in previous panchayat and block samiti elections, stating that the party had fielded candidates across all regions of the state. He also commented on the SAD, suggesting that the party’s past successes were contingent on the BJP’s support and advised voters against casting their ballots for SAD candidates.
In a warning to administrative and law enforcement officials, Bittu cautioned bureaucrats and police personnel against succumbing to political pressure during the election period. He declared his intention to remain in Bathinda on polling day to monitor for any violations and report them directly to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, underscoring a commitment to ensuring electoral integrity.
The Chenab Times News Desk