BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu on Friday alleged that his cavalcade was attacked while he was travelling to Pathankot for the launch of the party’s ‘Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra’. Bittu claimed that his security personnel apprehended three people after the incident and alleged that they were linked to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
According to Bittu, a local MLA whom he identified as Sherry had allegedly sent the three individuals to stop him from taking part in the BJP’s anti-drug campaign. He did not provide details of the alleged attack or publicly establish the identities of those apprehended.
“Such incidents are a grave threat to democracy and the safety of political leaders," Ravneet Singh Bittu said.
Bittu also said that if anything happened to him, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and the state’s Director General of Police would be responsible for his safety and security.
The BJP leader called for an immediate investigation by the Punjab Government and sought adequate security for political workers and leaders in the state. The allegations came as the Punjab BJP began its statewide campaign against drug abuse.
BJP’s anti-drug campaign
BJP National President Nitin Nabin is scheduled to flag off the ‘Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra’ from Pathankot on Friday. The campaign is planned to cover around 4,000 kilometre and reach all 117 Assembly constituencies before concluding in Jalandhar on September 30. Union Home minister Amit Shah is scheduled to address the concluding rally.
The BJP has said the campaign aims to turn the fight against drugs into a mass movement across Punjab.
Speaking to ANI, Nitin Nabin said the state’s youth had been pushed towards addiction despite their background and cultural legacy.
“I believe that the youth of Punjab- descendants of hardworking farming families, heirs to a rich culture and a thriving industrial sector that was once a source of pride for the entire nation- have been pushed into the clutches of addiction and left completely directionless," Nitin Nabin said.
He further alleged that political parties in Punjab had used the drug issue for electoral gains and later allowed the trade to continue after coming to power.
“I also believe that political parties in the state exploited the drug issue merely to gain power, only to treat the drug trade as a business venture or a source of profit once in office, allowing it to flourish under political patronage," Nitin Nabin said.