The North News
Panchkula, March 20
Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar has accused the AAP of orchestrating a “deep-rooted conspiracy” to use farmers for political advantage, only to later abandon them. He alleged that the prolonged protest at Shambhu and Khanauri was a ploy by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to manipulate voters during the Lok Sabha elections, ultimately causing economic distress in Punjab.
“It was at Bhagwant Mann’s behest that Punjab was held hostage for 400 days, suffering financial and economic losses for a dharna that was never in the state’s long-term interest,” Jakhar said at a press conference in Panchkula on Thursday.
Jakhar questioned why the protest sites could be cleared without resistance, stating, “If these so-called farm leaders could vacate Shambhu and Khanauri overnight, why was Punjab made to bleed for over a year?” He accused the AAP government of engineering the blockade for electoral gains and now attempting to claim credit for ending it ahead of the Ludhiana bypoll.
The BJP leader claimed that AAP, in collaboration with certain farm leaders and the Congress, had misled Punjab’s farmers. “It was never about protecting farmer rights. This was a battle of egos between ‘fake’ farm leaders who turned innocent farmers into political pawns,” he said, referring to the death of young protester Shubhkaran Singh as an example of their disregard for real issues.
Jakhar further alleged that AAP’s decision to end the protest was driven by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s desperation to win Ludhiana. He accused Bhagwant Mann of betraying farmers, calling him a “hostile witness” who once championed their cause but later ordered their arrest after inviting them for talks.
He urged Ludhiana voters to reject AAP’s “industrial and job promises,” which he claimed were as hollow as their previous commitments to farmers. Jakhar also challenged Punjab Congress to clarify its stance on a legal guarantee for MSP, arguing that wheat and paddy are already procured by the Centre.
Responding to recent violence in Patiala, Jakhar condemned the assault on Colonel Batth and his family, warning that lawlessness in Punjab now threatens even those who have served the nation in uniform.
