CHANDIGARH, Dec. 10 — BJP state president Sunil Jakhar on Tuesday said the Aam Aadmi Party government has “signalled its intent to misuse the police” by sending Patiala SSP Varun Sharma on leave days before local body polls and hours before a court hearing into a viral audio clip.
Calling it a “threat to democracy,” Jakhar said the move confirms what the Opposition has been alleging. “Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann ji, by sending the Patiala SSP on leave before the court hearing, your government has admitted that you intended to misuse the police to steal elections,” Jakhar said in a post on X.
He added that the issue goes beyond one officer. “The politicisation of Punjab’s capable police force is the biggest matter of concern,” he wrote.
Jakhar said the audio clip, released last week, made the government’s “intentions crystal clear,” alleging it showed senior police officials directing subordinates to obstruct opposition candidates during the nomination process. He said similar concerns were raised during the Tarn Taran by-election, where the BJP accused the ruling party of using the police to influence the contest.
“This is a very worrying trend,” Jakhar said. “Using the police for political gains by the ruling party is dangerous for democracy.”
The BJP leader questioned why the government needed police intervention if it believed in its own performance. “If your government has done good work, then why rely on the police to steal elections?” he asked.
Jakhar said such tactics would backfire at the ballot box. He argued that police misuse “has always troubled the people of Punjab” and claimed the AAP’s approach would contribute to “the government being voted out in 2027.”
