Leaders of various political parties on Saturday criticised the Bhagwant Mann-led state government over the murderous attack on an NRI in Amritsar and alleged that law and order in Punjab is deteriorating.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal said the attacks in Amritsar on two consecutive days showed the “deterioration” of law and order in Punjab. “Punjabis are not safe even in their homes. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann should resign on moral grounds,” he said.
Two bikers entered the house of NRI Sukhchain Singh in Daburji village in Amritsar on Saturday and opened fire on him, leaving him seriously injured. On Friday, a 33-year-old woman was found murdered in her house on Jujhar Singh Avenue. A plumber, who was a frequent visitor to her house, was arrested on charges of murder and robbery.
BJP leader and former US ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu said, “The fear of the law is disappearing in Punjab, with shootings, ransom demands and robberies becoming the new normal. Our chief minister Bhagwant Mann, who used bulletproof glass for his Independence Day speech, is busy campaigning in Haryana and touring Mumbai.”
BJP leader Preneet Kaur said such incidents show that no one is safe in Punjab. “I appeal to Bhagwant Mann to maintain law and order in the state,” she said.
Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, leader of the Punjab Congress and MP for Ludhiana, accused the government of incompetence. He told X that Punjab needs actions, not explanations.
Congressman and former minister Raj Kumar Verka also attacked the prime minister for the crime.
AAP criticises SAD and BJP for ‘politicisation’
Neel Garg, spokesperson of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab, accused the SAD and the BJP of politicising the issue. The NRI’s family claimed that the attack was carried out by his ex-wife’s family, making it a personal and not a political matter. “CM Bhagwant Mann has directed the DGP to take strict action against the perpetrators,” he said.
Garg recalled that during the Badal government, an ASI was killed in Amritsar while protecting his daughter’s honour. He alleged that the perpetrators were linked to the Akali Dal. He also questioned the BJP’s silence on current issues such as the firing of an MP in Haryana and the torture of a Dalit man in Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh, when he demanded his wages.
“National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data shows that law and order in Punjab is better as compared to BJP-ruled states and other neighbouring states,” he said, adding that the opposition’s aim was to defame the government.
Cabinet ministers Harbhajan Singh ETO and Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal visited the hospital to enquire about the health of the injured NRI. Doctors said he is stable. (With inputs from PTI)
