The Punjab unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staged a protest in Patiala on Monday, voicing strong opposition to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led state government. The demonstration, led by the state Mahila Morcha president Jai Inder Kaur, focused on allegations of a paper leak in a recent pharmacist recruitment examination and condemned the police action against sanitation workers and other protesting groups.
Information was available with The Chenab Times indicating that the protesters burned an effigy of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann during the demonstration. Jai Inder Kaur, accompanied by senior BJP district leaders and party workers, asserted that the purported paper leak, linked to the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, has significantly undermined the confidence of the state’s youth in the government’s recruitment processes. She called for a transparent and time-bound investigation into the matter.
Furthermore, the BJP leader demanded the resignation of the Health Minister, Dr. Balbir Singh, stating that he should accept moral responsibility for the alleged irregularities that have come to light. The protesters also drew attention to the reported lathi-charge on sanitation workers, including women, during a separate protest in Barnala. Kaur alleged that the government’s response was to resort to force rather than engaging in constructive dialogue to address the workers’ concerns.
The demonstration also referenced earlier instances of police action against protesting Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) employees in Patiala. The BJP leader claimed that the state government was actively attempting to suppress the legitimate voices of individuals and groups raising valid demands. She accused the AAP leadership of failing to uphold its electoral promises of transparency and accountability.
Addressing the press during the protest, Jai Inder Kaur stated that the AAP government should prioritize ensuring fair and transparent recruitment processes within Punjab before making public pronouncements about good governance. The protest underscored the escalating political tensions in Punjab, with the opposition parties holding the ruling AAP government accountable for various governance issues.
The Chenab Times News Desk