Punjab Opposition Accuses AAP of Strategic Retreat in Ex-Minister's Arrest
In a dramatic turn of events, the Punjab government has arrested its former minister, Laljit Singh Bhullar, but opposition leaders are branding the move as a desperate "strategic retreat." They claim the action was forced by central intervention and a burgeoning corruption scandal linked to the tragic death of a government official. The arrest follows the death of Gagandeep Singh Randhawa, a young Warehousing Corporation officer who reportedly endured systemic harassment and whose pleas for help were allegedly ignored for months.
Claims of Political Shielding and Central Pressure
While Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's administration frames the arrest as an act of internal accountability, a united opposition front—comprising the Congress, BJP, and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)—asserts that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) only acted after Union Home Minister Amit Shah threatened a central investigation. Partap Singh Bajwa, the state's leader of the opposition, has argued that the state moved against Bhullar only after Shah indicated the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was prepared to intervene. Bajwa has since petitioned the Chief Justice of India for a Supreme Court-monitored inquiry to prevent what he calls "political shielding."
"This administrative inaction and political protection led to a tragic loss of life," Bajwa stated, highlighting that Randhawa's written appeals to the Amritsar deputy commissioner and the warehousing managing director went unheeded.Allegations of Corruption and Demands for Forensic Integrity
The pressure intensified as state BJP president Sunil Jakhar led protests across Punjab, burning effigies of Bhullar. Jakhar alleged that the state is resisting a CBI probe to protect senior AAP leadership in both Punjab and Delhi. "The arrest was made to delay the case," Jakhar claimed. "A CBI inquiry would reveal where the money collected by ministers like Bhullar was being sent actually." SAD's former state minister Bikram Singh Majithia echoed these concerns, demanding that Randhawa's autopsy be conducted by a panel from AIIMS or PGIMER to ensure forensic integrity. Majithia alleges the case unearths a "larger case of rampant corruption" involving top bureaucrats, including the chief secretary.
Opposition's Unified Call for Central Probe
While the chief minister has claimed his government does not succumb to "cash or favours," Majithia dismissed these remarks as a "shameless" cover-up. He pointed out that every Punjab MP—excluding those from AAP—has now written to the home ministry demanding a CBI investigation. The opposition maintains that a 24-hour delay in registering the initial FIR and the failure to immediately forward Bhullar's resignation to the governor prove the administration only acted once "cornered on all fronts."
Jakhar Slams Government Over Custodial Media Access
Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar has further slammed the AAP government after Bhullar reportedly gave television interviews while in custody. Jakhar questioned the state's rule of law, drawing parallels to a 2023 incident involving gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. Alleging that allowing custodial media access undermines the legal process and basic police norms, Jakhar said: "Punjab da Rabb Rakha! In 2023, Lawrence Bishnoi was allowed to give an interview from jail, and today a former minister in custody is speaking to TV channels. Can justice be expected from such a government?" He claims the administration's "inability to enforce norms" sends a dangerous message of zero accountability.
