AAP asks CM to quit home dept

CHANDIGARH: The Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday criticised Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh for “turning a blind eye to the deteriorating law and order situation” in Punjab.

“After the broad daylight killing of Hindu Sangarsh Sena leader Vipin Sharma, the CM should give up the home department as he has failed to perform his duty. He was politicising the police administration for appeasing Congress leaders,” leader of opposition Sukhpal Khaira, AAP state co-president Aman Arora and deputy leader of opposition Sarabjit Kaur Manuke said in a statement.

They said a delegation of the party will meet Punjab governor VP Badnore over the recent killings in Ludhiana and Amritsar and request him to hand over the home ministry to someone who is “serious and capable of dealing with the law and order situation”. Hitting out at the top police brass, the party said they would also request the Governor to appoint top police officers on merit to stop the politicisation of police in state. “The criminals are roaming without fear in state and flee from the crime spots without any hesitation. The police and state agencies have failed miserably. The appointment of 30 special investigation teams (SITs) is mere eyewash as none of it has solved any of the cases till date,” they said.

Criticising the attacks on Akali leaders and their relatives, the party said they are reaping what they have sown. “But Congress leaders cannot take law in their own hands. AAP does not believe in victimisation of leaders of any party.” It also hit out at former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal for his comments on the law and order situation. “Badal is just shedding crocodile tears as these happenings started during his tenure.”

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Amarinder has failed to perform his duty as the home minister. He is politicising the police administration.

SUKHPAL KHAIR, in AAP statement