Statewide protest by AAP against BJP for ‘supporting’ gangsters

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has condemned the statements made by the BJP leader Manjinder Sirsa in support of the gangsters who murdered cloth merchant Sanjay Verma in Abohar.

AAP leaders and workers held large-scale demonstrations in Jalandhar, Pathankot, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Abohar and other cities.

An official press release by the party said ministers, MLAs and several senior party officials of the AAP participated in the protests. AAP leaders said the BJP had always acted against Punjab's interests and law. They alleged that gangster Lawrence Bishnoi was being politically protected by the BJP-led Central government. “On the one hand, the BJP claims that there is no law and order in Punjab, while on the other hand when the AAP government takes action against gangsters, BJP leaders come out in their support. This double standard will no longer be tolerated,” said the release.

It further said that the Mann government was eliminating gangsters and any interference by the Centre in Punjab would no longer be tolerated. They said the Akali Dal, BJP and the Congress were struggling with their diminishing existence in Punjab, which was why they were targeting the AAP.