Probe income sources of all Punjab legislators, says Sunil Jakhar

Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar on Tuesday sought an investigation into sources of income of all state MLAs, especially those of ruling AAP.

Speaking at an event marking 11 years of the BJP-led NDA rule at the Centre, he also called for a detailed probe into the money trail of drug smugglers.

“The focus is more on boasting about the number of arrests or drug seizures rather than tracing financial transactions of buyers and sellers. The government avoids this because it would expose powerful individuals, including politicians,” he alleged.

Jakhar expressed concern over the “sudden accumulation of wealth” by several politicians in Punjab.

"Many politicians who were once commoners now own vast properties. Former CM Amarinder Singh has a four-acre farmhouse, which can be justified given his ancestral wealth. However, numerous leaders and their associates now possess estates exceeding 10 acres, with towering boundary walls higher than those of central jails - ensuring no one can glimpse their riches," he said.

He also disagreed with suggestions of introducing poppy cultivation in Punjab.

"These demands are just vote bank politics. And this is not the domain of politicians. Experts should dwell on whether Punjab can afford this cultivation or not. I feel no senses in offering one kind of intoxicant to addicts to wean them away from another. Drugs is drugs," he said.

Dismissing the initiatives announced for the industry by the AAP government, Jakhar termed these a deceptive attempt to mislead the public. "The industry will thrive when there is a conducive environment for growth, with stable law and order and uninterrupted power supply. How can businesses flourish when entrepreneurs face extortion threats daily in Punjab?" he questioned.

Reflecting on the achievements of the BJP government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Jakhar asserted that the nation had "witnessed an era of unparalleled progress" over the past 11 years, with India now ranked as the fourth-largest global economy. He stressed that the BJP's commitment to national growth remained unwavering.

"No one in our party is resting on past success. There is much more to accomplish. We are determined to make India the world's largest economy," Jakhar claimed.