Party serves 48-hour ultimatum to govt, police to arrest culprits
AMRITSAR: A day after Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Patiala (rural) president Chetan Singh was shot at in Tarn Taran while trying to save a woman from being abducted, the AAP leader of opposition (LOP) Harpal Singh Cheema on Friday had given a 48-hour ultimatum to the state government to arrest the six culprits.
The AAP leader visited the holy city to inquire about the health of the party member and expressed shock over deteriorating law and order in the state.
Speaking on the occasion, Cheema said, “Congress-led government is solely responsible for the sorry state of affairs of the security apparatus. Captain, who also holds the portfolio of home affairs, had failed in containing crime in the state. The murderous attack on AAP leader Chetan Singh, who is undergoing treatment at a city hospital, is a proof to it.”
“The policemen were also to be blamed as criminals were allowed to walk free with arms and ammunition even as the model code of conduct has come into force. This reflects the government’s laidback attitude. Chief minister also owes an explanation on rising crime and drug mafia calling the shots in the state under the patronage of the government,” Cheema said, adding that this was despite Captain taking a vow to stamp out the menace of drugs within four weeks of assuming power.
Serving a 48-hour ultimatum, Cheema said that if the culprits were not arrested within the stipulated period, AAP would be free to take the police to task for its lackadaisical attitude and shoddy probe. Cheema was accompanied by party’s Amritsar Lok Sabha candidate Kuldip Singh Dhaliwal, Amritsar (Urban) president Ashok Talwar, women state wing co-president Jeevan Jot Kaur Jasvir Singh and other local leaders of the party.
Earlier, Chetan Singh was shot at by six men for foiling their bid to kidnap a girl in Patti city, 20 kms from the district headquarters, on Thursday. As per the police, the girl was allegedly being abducted by the accused when AAP leader intervened and was shot at.