CHANDIGARH, MAY 29 — The Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday accused Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu of attempting to damage the morale of Punjab Police personnel for political leverage following a filmed confrontation with officers in Dhuri.
AAP Punjab State Media In-charge Baltej Pannu declared during a media interaction that the minister’s behavior, which included calling law enforcement officials “dalal,” exposed a pattern of political arrogance. Pannu noted that whether dealing with local police, central paramilitary units, or the Indian Army, security personnel maintain a vital civic role that must be protected from political theater.
“Punjab Police personnel, particularly younger officers, have transformed public dealing and are discharging their duties professionally for public safety,” Pannu added, noting that ordinary citizens look to local checkpoints for security rather than hostility.
Pannu further stated that the union minister chose to launch personal attacks instead of directly addressing inquiries raised by the ruling party in previous briefings. To counter the minister’s criticisms of the department, the AAP spokesperson reviewed public records from 2017, claiming that the previous Congress government modified recruitment protocols, age frames, and educational qualifications specifically to appoint Bittu’s brother to the rank of DSP.
Pannu suggested that this historical context directly contradicted the minister’s current public stances against law enforcement. He maintained that under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, recruitment practices have undergone total reform, resulting in tens of thousands of corruption-free job appointments based strictly on competitive examinations and family sacrifices rather than nepotism.
“Punjab Police officers earn their positions through hard work, education, competitive examinations, and the sacrifices of their families, not through special rule changes and political influence,” Pannu asserted. He concluded the briefing by calling for a complete and immediate apology from Bittu to the targeted officers.
