Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar launched a scathing attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress on Thursday, alleging their opposition to the new Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act is driven by a desire to protect illicit financial gains. Jakhar made these remarks during a public interaction rally in Foldiwal village, Jalandhar, part of the BJP's state-level campaign to raise awareness about the scheme which replaces the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
Core Allegations and Defence of the New Law
Jakhar asserted that the real reason behind the opposition's stance is that the VB-G RAM G system will halt their "corrupt earnings." He defended the legislation, brought by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating it was meticulously framed with the interests of impoverished labourers at its heart. The key mechanism, according to him, ensures that funds designated for workers are transferred directly to them, bypassing contractors and middlemen who previously siphoned off money. "It ensures that the grant meant for labourers does not end up in the pockets of contractors and middlemen, and that the labourer receives his rightful payment directly," Jakhar emphasized.
He highlighted a significant enhancement in the scheme: the number of guaranteed employment days has been increased from 100 to 125. Furthermore, Jakhar criticised the AAP and Congress for objecting to the inclusion of the word 'Ram' in the scheme's acronym, questioning the secular credentials of parties that "smell foul in the name of God Ram."
Broadside Against AAP Leadership and State Governance
The Punjab BJP chief expanded his criticism to target top AAP leaders on issues of sacrilege and governance. He referenced alleged remarks by former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi against Guru Tegh Bahadur, claiming the "true face of this party has now been exposed."
Jakhar also trained his guns on Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann following the circulation of a purported video showing him disrespecting images of the ten Sikh Gurus. He pointed out the contradiction where Mann advocates for strict sacrilege laws while being implicated in such a video. Jakhar demanded a special assembly session and an impartial probe under the Punjab and Haryana High Court's supervision to verify the video's authenticity. He stated that if the video is genuine, Mann would forfeit the moral right to remain Chief Minister.
Critique of Law & Order and Anti-Drug Efforts
Addressing the deteriorating security situation, Jakhar cited nine murders in the past seven days as evidence that Punjab has descended into a state of "jungle raj." He also lambasted the AAP government's anti-drug initiatives, claiming that the paramount fear in Punjabi villages is no longer unemployment or inflation, but the danger of children succumbing to drug addiction. "Every parent worries whether their child will return home safely in the evening," he said.
Concluding his address, Jakhar positioned the BJP as the sole alternative capable of delivering "stable, transparent, corruption-free governance based on peace, harmony, and brotherhood." He expressed confidence that the people of Punjab have decided to support the BJP in the upcoming elections to rescue the youth from the dual scourges of drugs and gun violence.
Earlier, BJP national secretary and Punjab co-incharge Narinder Raina echoed these sentiments, accusing the AAP of opposing Modi's schemes solely to prevent their benefits from reaching the public. He cited Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports that exposed corruption in MGNREGA as the rationale for the overhaul.
Later, in a press conference, Jakhar challenged CM Mann to disclose the amount of money the state government had allocated from its own resources for village development over the last four years. He also labeled the state's health insurance scheme as "deceptive," alleging that the government pays a premium for coverage of only up to Rs 1 lakh, not the advertised Rs 10 lakh.
