BJP stages protest in Amritsar, seeks justice for Warehousing Corporation official's family

Amritsar, April 4 (IANS) The BJP on Saturday staged a state-level protest here, demanding justice for the family of state Warehousing Corporation District Manager Gagandeep Randhawa and a CBI investigation into the case. 

Speaking on the occasion, state BJP President Sunil Jakhar said the party would continue its movement until the family receives justice. He emphasised this is not a political programme but a fight for justice. He added that what happened with Randhawa could happen to anyone, which is why every Punjabi is part of this fight.

He said all the accused, including former minister Laljit Singh Bhullar, must be punished. He also saluted the courage of the family for standing firm despite heavy pressure from the government.

Jakhar said the death in police custody of the person who had disconnected the family’s electricity has further complicated the case, and only a CBI investigation can bring out the truth, including where money allegedly collected through extortion by the minister was being sent.

He further said in another harassment case involving a woman from Tarn Taran district, an AAP MLA was acquitted through a compromise, and the government is trying to handle this case in a similar manner. However, he asserted that the people of Punjab will not allow this to happen.

Jakhar said the Chief Minister himself is “compromised”. He said Punjab is not being run by Bhagwant Mann but by Arvind Kejriwal, and that Mann is merely a “nominal Chief Minister”. He said Punjabis have now decided that Punjab will be ruled by Punjabis, and outsiders will not be allowed to exploit the state.

He also accused the government of being insensitive and failing to hear the voices of people seeking justice. Referring to the attack on the BJP headquarters, Jakhar said such attempts will not deter the BJP, and it will continue its struggle so that the killers of a capable officer do not escape, no innocent person is killed in fake encounters, and justice is delivered to the people of Punjab.

Questioning the Chief Minister’s claims about jobs, he asked how many thousands of youth have been forced to seek employment in gangster networks under this government. Targeting the Congress, Jakhar questioned Rahul Gandhi, asking whether MPs demanding a CBI probe “are traitors or those who are refusing to sign such letters after surrendering before the Mann government are traitors”.

He alleged the state Congress president has bowed before the Chief Minister, and the Chief Minister has bowed before Arvind Kejriwal. He said while political leaders may bow, “Punjab does not bow, it knows how to seek justice”.

He added that Punjab “is keeping track of those who are not standing with it in this fight for justice”.