Law and order situation in Punjab deteriorated under AAP govt: BJP state chief

Chandigarh, Jul 10 (PTI) Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon on Friday alleged that the law and order situation in the state has deteriorated under the AAP government, citing the recent bomb attack on a police station in Moga as evidence of what he described as a "security failure". In a statement, Dhillon said that if police stations and police personnel were not safe, the security of ordinary citizens was also at risk. He alleged that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who also holds the home portfolio, had failed to maintain law and order and demanded his resignation on moral grounds. The BJP leader claimed that the Moga incident was part of a series of attacks during the AAP government's tenure. He referred to the rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) attack on the Punjab Police Intelligence Headquarters in Mohali, the RPG attack on the Sarhali police station, grenade attacks on the Gumtala police post in Amritsar and the Thakur Dwara Sanatan Dharam Mandir in Khandwala. Dhillon alleged that gangsters were operating criminal networks from inside prisons and criminals no longer feared the law. He further claimed that incidents of extortion, robberies and violent crime had increased, leaving people feeling unsafe. Accusing the AAP government of failing to address the state's security challenges, Dhillon alleged that the chief minister was more focused on political activities than governance. He also accused the AAP leadership of neglecting Punjab's security concerns. Dhillon said the people of Punjab would hold the AAP government accountable in the next assembly elections over what he termed its failure to control crime and maintain law and order. Expressing confidence in the BJP's prospects, Dhillon said the party would work to restore peace, strengthen law enforcement and ensure the rule of law if given the opportunity to govern. PTI VSD KSS KSS