Chandigarh: Amid the simmering rift between the AAP government in Punjab and the governor, the police here Thursday aborted a BJP march to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s residence by deploying barricades, using water cannon and briefly detaining protesting leaders including the state BJP chief.
The BJP had announced the ‘gherao’ of the chief minister’s official residence, accusing his six-month-old government of “failing on all fronts”.
The march by state BJP chief Ashwani Sharma and other senior party leaders was being taken out a day after Governor Banwarilal Purohit withdrew his permission to the AAP government to hold a special session to bring a confidence motion.
Police put up barricades near the state BJP office in sector 37 to stop the protesters from moving towards the chief minister’s residence.
When the BJP workers tried to force their way through the barricades, police used water cannon. Later, several BJP leaders including Ashwani Sharma were briefly detained.
The BJP leaders hit out at the AAP, saying the party was making “baseless allegations” the BJP was trying to poach ruling party MLAs through “Operation Lotus”.
“Holding a protest is our democratic right and no water cannon can stop the BJP from raising public issues,” Sharma told reporters.
JP leaders justified the governor’s decision to not allow the special session of the assembly on September 22 “just for he purpose of bringing a confidence motion”.
Sharma said the BJP will “expose” the AAP government’s “failure” on all fronts. “The government failed to keep its poll promises such as giving Rs 1,000 per month to women. It also failed to address other public issues,” he told reporters at the protest.
He alleged the Mann government was only trying to “please” AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and not resolving burning issues like the drugs menace, corruption and the “deteriorating” law and order.
Earlier, Sharma alleged the AAP government failed to live up to the expectations of people. He claimed people now regret they voted for the AAP as it is “running away from its responsibilities”.
People had cast vote for the AAP for peace, harmony, development, but nothing has happened, he claimed. Law and order has broken down, the drug menace has escalated and development is non-existent, alleged Sharma.
The government’s accountability is towards the people of Punjab, but it is being “remote-controlled” by their political bosses from Delhi, he alleged.
Referring to the Purohit’s decision, Sharma said when any government violates norms and puts democracy in danger with its actions, the governor draws a line and prevents that from happening.
Hitting out at the AAP over its “Operation Lotus” allegations, Sharma said it is not the first time they are making such “baseless charges”.
“This is a party which levels allegations and then runs away. We have seen how they apologised to Nitin Gadkari, the late Arun Jaitley and other leaders,” he said.
“We will expose them,” he said. “Kejriwal ki nautanki nahi chalegi (Kejriwals’ theatrics won’t work)”.
Union minister Som Prakash and other senior BJP leaders including Manoranjan Kalia, Sunil Jakhar, Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi and Balbir Singh Sidhu were also at the protest.
Som Prakash said there is no provision for summoning a special session for “confidence motion only” and the governor took the right decision in accordance with the Constitution.
Prakash claimed the AAP government has failed on all fronts and now people are feeling they made a mistake by giving them the mandate.
On Punjab Governor’s action, Balbir Singh Sidhu said it was the right decision as the AAP government had summoned the session for presenting confidence motion only “which was not an emergent issue”.
Manoranjan Kalia said the AAP government did not fulfil promises made to people
Follow on Twitter | Posted by Neha Khan | 
