The Punjab BJP on Saturday staged a protest in Amritsar against the AAP government over the recent suicide of a warehousing corporation official, demanding justice for his family.
The entire state leadership, including Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar, national general secretary Tarun Chugh, Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu and Punjab BJP working president Ashwani Sharma, participated in the dharna at the Hall Gate in Amritsar.
Gagandeep Singh Randhawa, the district manager of Punjab State Warehousing Corporation in Amritsar, allegedly ended his life by consuming poison on March 21. A video later surfaced in which he allegedly claimed harassment by transport minister Laljit Singh Bhullar, who resigned from the cabinet later that day on the direction of chief minister Bhagwant Mann amid the row.
Bhullar, the AAP MLA from Patti, was arrested two days after Randhawa ended his life.
The Amritsar police booked Bhullar, his father Sukhdev Singh Bhullar and personal assistant Dilbag Singh under Sections 108 (abetment of suicide), 351 (3) (criminal intimidation) and 3 (5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
During the protest on Saturday, the Punjab BJP leaders raised slogans against the AAP government and chief minister Mann, pressing for a CBI probe into the death.
“It is not a political fight, it is a fight for justice for the family of Randhawa,” Jakhar said, addressing the gathering at the protest site. “We stand by the Randhawa family,” he added.
Punjab BJP working president Sharma said his party decided to stage the protest to ensure justice for the Randhawas. “The family does not trust the Punjab government and the Punjab Police investigation. This is why it has been seeking a CBI probe into the death,” Sharma said.
Attacking the Mann government, Sharma said the state police had not taken any steps in the last four years to inspire public confidence in the justice system. “Why are you (Mann) trying to save Bhullar?” Sharma asked. He warned that the BJP would continue its agitation against the AAP government unless a CBI probe is ordered into the death and justice is delivered to the family.
The BJP leaders also alleged that Bhullar was being given “VIP facilities” in jail and criticised the AAP government for not arresting his father and assistant so far.
Earlier, BJP leader Chugh lashed out at the AAP government over the law and order situation, calling it an “ineffective” dispensation.
