AAP govt in Punjab targeting our Hindu leadership to help BJP: Congress

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera asked why action was being taken only against politicians and not against officials for corruption, after the state vigilance bureau arrested former minister O P Soni in a graft case

New Delhi: The Congress on Monday alleged that its “Hindu leadership” in Punjab was being targeted by the Bhagwant Mann government to help the BJP and that the AAP dispensation was indulging in headline management to “hide its failures like the Modi government”.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera asked why action was being taken only against politicians and not against officials for corruption, after the state vigilance bureau arrested former minister O P Soni in a graft case.

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He also alleged that there was “outside” interference in the state government’s decision.
“The Bhagwant Mann government in Punjab is doing the same thing as the BJP’s central government is doing, as one could see what happened to our former minister O P Soni, and is targeting our Congress leaders in the state, only to help the BJP.

“The AAP government is targeting our Hindu leadership in the state of Punjab,” Khera alleged in a video message.

“The Punjab government is running just like the Modi government. Doing headline management to hide its failure. After winning on the slogan of bringing change, it is doing politics of revenge,” he also said in a tweet.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) does not see the corruption in its own courtyard, he alleged, adding “action taken against our former minister O P Soni is proof of this low and petty politics”.

“It is trying to save its own officers, as action is only being taken against politicians and not against officials. It is protecting its officials.

“Bhagwant Mann ji, please tell us who is interfering in the Punjab government without having any link with it. Bhagwant Mann ji please don’t do this kind of politic as it will harm you only later,” he asked.

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) on Sunday arrested Congress leader and former deputy chief minister O P Soni for allegedly amassing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income from 2016 to 2022.

An FIR was registered on Sunday under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act at Vigilance Bureau Police Station, Amritsar Range against Soni following investigations in the inquiry, which was ordered on October 10, 2022, a VB spokesperson said.

The spokesperson, in an official statement, said that “during the check period from April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2022, the income of the former Deputy CM and his family was Rs 4,52,18,771 while the expenditure was Rs 12,48,42,692, which was Rs 7,96,23,921 or 176.08 per cent more than his known sources of income”.

“During this period, accused OP Soni had made properties in the name of his wife Suman Soni and son Raghav Soni,” he claimed.

The investigation is a result of an anonymous complaint the Bureau had received accusing Soni of amassing properties beyond his known sources of income.

In May, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau arrested former Congress MLA Kushaldeep Singh Dhillon for allegedly amassing “huge wealth” than his known sources of income, officials had said earlier.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government has said it has a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption and will proceed in accordance with the law against anyone who indulges in any wrongdoing.

Earlier, Congress leaders and former Punjab ministers, including Bharat Bhushan Ashu and Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, have faced vigilance cases under the present dispensation.
Congress leader and former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi has also appeared before the Vigilance Bureau a few times in connection with a disproportionate assets case. Channi has described the probe as “totally political”.