Grenade attack due to BJP’s popularity in Punjab, claims Sunil Jakhar

Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar on Monday said the cowardly acts like the attack on the party office by forces frightened of BJP’s growing popularity could not shake the party’s resolve to build a “New Punjab”.

He was talking to the media at an event to mark the BJP’s 47th foundation day at the party headquarters here. Party’s national general secretary Tarun Chugh, working president Ashwani Sharma, MP Satnam Singh and state general secretary Parminder Brar were also present on the occasion.

Jakhar said the party was moving forward on its core principle of ensuring that the benefits of governance reached the last person in society. With the inspiration of PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, the party was working towards the vision of a New Punjab.

He said misconceptions spread about the BJP among people were breaking and more people were joining it. He said drugs and gangsterism had become the biggest challenges in Punjab. Families live in constant fear until their loved ones return home safely, he said.

He emphasised the need for a capable government and reiterated the commitment made by the Union Home Minister that drug abuse would be eradicated within two years, if the BJP came to power. Jakhar said the Congress had surrendered before the AAP government.

Referring to a Congress MP writing to a Union Minister about crop damage, he questioned why Congress leaders were not holding the Punjab Government accountable, especially when the crop insurance scheme was not being implemented in the state.

Targeting CM Bhagwant Mann, Jakhar said while the CM claimed to bring investment to Punjab, a simple work like procuring buses was being done through the same Rajasthan-based company used during the previous Congress regime. On the issue of arrests in the party office attack case, he said the Punjab Police was capable but lacked leadership. Tarun Chugh said the state government had delayed bringing a law on sacrilege.

He demanded that the law should also include punishment for those who desecrated idols at temples.