‘Well-planned conspiracy’: BJP; SAD says state machinery being misused to harass and intimidate political opponents

BJP and SAD protest in Chandigarh after arrest of councillor Suman Sharma’s family member ahead of mayoral polls, accusing AAP of misuse of power (Express Archive)

Chandigarh politics witnessed fresh turbulence ahead of the mayoral elections as both the BJP and SAD criticised the AAP government over the arrest of a family member of Ward No. 4 councillor Suman Sharma.

The BJP Chandigarh unit staged a protest outside the Punjab Chief Minister’s residence, accusing the AAP government of authoritarianism, misuse of power and political vendetta. The party alleged that the Punjab Police illegally detained Komal Sharma, sister-in-law of councillor Suman Sharma, who recently switched over from the AAP to the BJP.

The protest was led by BJP Chandigarh president Jitendra Pal Malhotra and attended by senior leaders, including vice-presidents Devender Babla, Bharat Kumar and Indira Singh, general secretaries Ramveer Bhatti and Sanjeev Rana, Chandigarh Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla, media in-charge Ravi Rawat, district presidents and heads of various party wings.

Malhotra alleged that after Suman Sharma joined the BJP, she has been under continuous pressure from AAP leaders to return to the party. He claimed that Ward No. 16 councillor Poonam was openly threatened by AAP councillors to quit the BJP, calling it a strategy to intimidate political opponents.

Malhotra alleged that a “well-planned conspiracy” led to the registration of an FIR at Sohana police station around 10.30 pm against Komal Sharma, who works on a contractual basis in the Water Supply Department, Sector 27, Punjab. He claimed she was forcibly picked up from her residence by the Punjab Police around 7 am, without informing the local police station.

Condemning the incident, Malhotra said the manner in which a woman was allegedly dragged out of her house was shameful and exposed the “hollow claims” of the AAP government regarding women’s safety and dignity.

SAD Chandigarh president Charanjit Singh Villy too slammed the AAP government, calling the action politically motivated. In a press note, Villy said that under the instructions of the Punjab government, the Punjab Police acted against the councillor’s sister-in-law.

Villy said the timing and manner of the arrest raise serious questions over the political intent of the AAP government. He alleged that the state machinery is being misused to harass and intimidate political opponents and their families, which is against democratic values and the rule of law.

The SAD leader accused the Punjab government of acting at the behest of senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia, who had publicly advocated the policy of “Saam, Daam, Dand, Bhed”. Villy said such open endorsement of pressure tactics exposes the true nature of AAP’s politics.

Villy demanded that the Chandigarh Administrator immediately enforce the Anti-Defection Law to curb political horse-trading and protect democratic institutions in the city.

He said it was shameful that Chandigarh’s name was once again being dragged into controversy due to unethical political practices, damaging the city’s reputation.

Both BJP and SAD warned that politics of intimidation and vendetta would not be tolerated and appealed to constitutional authorities to take serious note of the matter. They demanded impartial implementation of law without political bias.