Chandigarh: The political atmosphere in Punjab turned stormy on Friday after BJP leader Sunil Jakhar was detained by police in Abohar while he was participating in the party’s outreach programme “BJP De Sewadar, Tuhade Dwaar.” His detention came a day after multiple senior BJP leaders, including former ministers and ex-MPs, were taken into custody from similar camps across the state, prompting the saffron party to accuse the Aam Aadmi Party government of lying to people and misusing the police, while AAP countered by branding BJP as “chor” out to steal citizens’ data.
Police maintained that the BJP-run camps violated the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. Officials alleged that sensitive information such as Aadhaar details, ration card data, and even bank-related particulars was being collected from people under the garb of welfare assistance. Laptops, registers, and other material were seized during raids at several sites.
The BJP, however, rejected the charges outright. The party argued that the camps were only spreading awareness about central welfare schemes such as Ayushman Bharat, PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, insurance, and pensions. Punjab BJP working president Ashwani Sharma said the crackdown had taken place at nearly 39 locations. “The AAP government is misleading people and spreading lies about our programme. These were legitimate outreach camps to educate the poor about schemes that are their right. The Mann government is rattled by our rising presence and has resorted to police excesses,” Sharma said.
Jakhar’s detention particularly inflamed tempers within the BJP, as he has emerged as one of the party’s leading voices in Punjab after quitting Congress last year. Party leaders described the action against him as a sign of desperation by the AAP government. Supporters staged protests outside police stations and demanded the immediate release of all detained leaders.
Former Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh also condemned the police action, calling it politically motivated. He said the crackdown reflected “a total collapse of governance.” “The Mann government is behaving like a dictatorship, acting on orders from Delhi, and trying to block BJP’s welfare outreach. The people of Punjab deserve transparent governance, not repression. I urge the Governor and the Union Home Ministry to intervene in this matter,” Amarinder said.
The AAP government has defended its stand firmly. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema accused the BJP of hiding behind welfare schemes while attempting to illegally gather personal data. “The BJP is behaving like a thief. They are trying to steal people’s information under the garb of camps. Our government will not allow anyone to compromise the privacy and rights of Punjabis,” Cheema said.
Cheema went further, alleging that the BJP had no real concern for the poor. “They call us names and try to confuse people, but the truth is that their campaign is a fraud. They are liars when they say they are only spreading awareness. The real agenda is to misuse citizens’ information for their politics. We will expose their lies at every step,” he added.
The strong exchange of words has raised political temperatures sharply in the state. While the BJP has vowed to continue its outreach programme, AAP has made it clear that such activities will not be tolerated if they involve data collection without safeguards. Both parties appear determined to use the issue to mobilise their bases, with BJP painting itself as the victim of police repression and AAP projecting itself as the protector of citizens’ rights.
In a twist, Congress MLA Sandeep Jakhar from Abohar came out in support of BJP leaders detained in Fazilka, arguing that the police action was politically motivated and unnecessary.
