Chandigarh: Condemning the railway track blast in Patiala, the Congress, BJP, and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Tuesday hit out at the AAP government in the state, blaming it for deteriorating law and order.
Congress Accuses AAP of Endangering Peace
Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring accused the AAP government of "putting the hard-earned peace in Punjab at stake." "While AAP is busy saving its government, Punjab has been left to fate," he said. He claimed that the situation in Punjab had gone from bad to worse. "A gangster culture had already been prevailing in Punjab. Now, radicalised youth are being used," he added.
Warring Targets Centre
Warring also gunned for the BJP-led Centre, asking it to spend its resources and energies on better intelligence and security management instead of poaching members of rival parties. "The central government would do better if it keeps an eye on the enemies of the nation, instead of searching for vulnerable people in other parties," he said.
Bajwa Points to Security Lapses
Punjab leader of the opposition and Congress MLA Partap Singh Bajwa, in a post on X, alleged a pattern. "From damaged freight corridors to injured loco pilots, serious security lapses are staring us in the face. Yet, the Bhagwant Mann government remains in denial. Law and order cannot run on headlines and PR," he added.
BJP Blames Politicisation of Police
Punjab BJP working president Ashwani Sharma said forces inimical to Punjab had been raising their head every other day due to lax law and order. "Things have deteriorated in Punjab because there has been unprecedented level of politicisation of police and civil administration," he added.
SAD Warns of Lawlessness
Lashing out at the AAP-led government, SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia said the incident in Patiala came close on the heels of another explosion in Sirhind, pointing to a worrying pattern. "A suspicious object found in Gurdaspur triggered panic among residents, while in Batala, two youths were shot dead and another critically injured in a firing incident," he added.
Majithia claimed that such repeated crimes indicated Punjab was steadily moving towards lawlessness. "Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, the state has turned into a 'gangland,' where the sound of gunfire has become routine, with the situation resembling places like Kabul." Accusing the AAP-led government of "failing to prioritise law and order," Majithia also alleged, "It is instead focused on political matters, including targeting those who have left the party."
Standalone Quotes
Amrinder Singh Raja Warring (Punjab Congress chief): "The AAP government, instead of keeping an eye on anti-social, anti-national elements, criminals and saboteurs, was spending its energies and resources to keep its flock together by keeping close watch on its own MLAs."
Ashwani Sharma (Punjab BJP working president): "Things have deteriorated in Punjab because there has been unprecedented level of politicisation of police and civil administration where state DGP and chief secretary attend a political rally."
Bikram Singh Majithia (SAD functionary): "The ordinary citizens no longer feel safe, even as drug abuse continues to affect households across the state."
