Chandigarh, June 10: The commercial sector of Punjab will receive full state protection against aggressive federal investigations, the Punjab government announced on Tuesday. AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann jointly countered recent Enforcement Directorate actions, characterizing the central inspections as a direct assault on the state’s economic foundations, particularly targeting Hindu traders.
The administration maintained that the federal operations represent an abuse of power aimed at destabilizing regional commerce. Government officials stated that the state will work in absolute alignment with small businesses to counter outside intimidation.
“The ED Party wants to harass our traders by misusing central agencies,” Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann stated during the joint party response. “Through such actions, they are trying to exert political pressure and compel them to join their side, something that Punjabis will never tolerate. We stand firmly with our traders.”
Addressing the trading community directly, Arvind Kejriwal affirmed that local merchants have no reason to alter their operations out of fear. He stated that the local administration is fully prepared to confront federal overreach alongside the affected business community.
“My appeal to all traders is that there is no need to panic,” Kejriwal affirmed. “The entire Punjab and the Punjab Government stand with you. Together, we will take on the ED Party.”
The party leadership also noted unusual political dynamics within the state, referencing ongoing discussions of potential opposition alliances and criticizing the Congress party for defending federal interventions. Kejriwal remarked that central coordinators seemed eager to establish local political partnerships despite receiving little interest from traditional regional factions.
Manish Sisodia linked the local enforcement actions to a broader decline in national economic indicators, pointing out that domestic enterprises are losing ground on major global investment benchmarks like the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. He maintained that prioritizing investigative pressure over technological innovation has led to a reduction in high-paying employment opportunities.
“Traders have been ruined through ED raids and young people through examination scams,” Sisodia asserted. “Modi Ji, you are truly remarkable. But the country needs an innovation economy, not an ED economy. The truth about the economy cannot be hidden for long through polished speeches and media management.”
