Opposition endorsing graft in garb of ‘saving democracy’: Sunil Jakhar

New Delhi, March 31

Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar on Sunday said the real faces of many national opposition leaders stood exposed with their show of unity “to protect the corrupt in the garb of saving democracy” at a rally in the Capital.

Jakhar questioned the presence of the top Congress leadership with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann at the Ramlila Ground today in support of arrested Delhi Chief Minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, accused in the excise policy scam.

“This development is a damning acceptance of insults heaped on Punjab Congress leaders and workers, who have endured vendetta at the hands of the vindictive AAP government. Either Congress leaders don’t know what is right and nobody guides them or they don’t really care,” Jakhar said, adding that it was not a surprise that the Congress leadership did not even think twice before attending the AAP rally at the Ramlila Ground in favour of Kejriwal, now behind bars with his “corruption out in open before the nation”.

“I feel pity for Congress leaders like Sukhpal Khaira, who had to endure a jail term due to vendetta by the Punjab Chief Minister with whom Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge are sharing stage today and are seen smiling and laughing,” Jakhar said, adding that by attending the protest today, the Congress national leadership had accepted Bhagwant Mann’s allegations of corruption against and mistreatment of its leaders in Punjab.

Jakhar was speaking here after ushering in a number of Punjab AAP leaders into the BJP fold. As many as 17 leaders of AAP, including 10 former councillors of Jalandhar, joined the BJP. Prominent among those who joined the saffron party were former Senior Deputy Mayor of Jalandhar, vice-chairman of Punjab Khadi Board and four-time councillor Kamaljit Singh Bhatia, MP Sushil Rinku’s wife and two-time Congress councillor Sunita Rinku and former councillor Manjit Singh Mintu among others.