‘50 bombs’ claim: LoP Partap Singh Bajwa grilled for 6 hours; Congress rallies behind him

Punjab leader of Opposition (LoP) and Congress MLA Partap Singh Bajwa was on Tuesday grilled for nearly six hours by the Mohali cyber crime cell over his “50 bombs reaching the state”, statement.

The beleaguered Congress leader reached the police station around 2.30 pm and was questioned by the Punjab police officers, including Mohali superintendent of police (city) Harbir Atwal.

The entire Congress leadership rallied behind the LOP and held a protest outside the venue till the Qadian MLA came out around 8 pm.

Bajwa reached the police station accompanied by his son Vikram Partap, Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and former Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa. Mohali police had barricaded the routes to the cyber crime police station. Bajwa was booked under Sections 197(1)(d) (false and misleading information that endangers the country’s sovereignty and unity) and 353(2) (false statements intend to create enmity and hatred or ill will), a non-bailable offence, of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at the cybercrime police station in Phase-7, Mohali, on Sunday night.

Other senior Congress leaders from across the state present at the protest site were— MLA Rana Gurjeet Singh, Amritsar MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla, former state health minister Balbir Sidhu, Kuljeet Singh Nagra, Jalandhar Cantt MLA Pargat Singh, former Punjab minister Raj Kumar Verka, former Amritsar MLA Sunil Dutti and Captain Sandeep Singh Sandhu besides others.

Talking to the press, after coming out of the cyber crime police station, Bajwa said that his targeting by the state’s AAP government was a ‘political vendetta’ and termed his questioning as a “sustained interrogation”.

“Calling me to the police station was an insult to the constitutional post I hold,” the leader said and alleged that chief minister Bhagwant Mann could not ‘digest’ his expressing concern over the current law and order situation in the state.

“They did sustained questioning. I gave all the answers strongly and shared all the possible information with the police. Being a Punjabi and LoP, I was worried for the state due to the deteriorating law and order situation and continuous grenade attacks, and thus, I expressed my concerns. LOP holds the second most important post after the chief minister and if this government can do this with LOP, the general public should not expect much from the state government. Police cases or questioning won’t deter Congress from working for the welfare of the state”, Bajwa said.

Bajwa thanked the Congress leadership who had gathered outside the police station and said that only a united Congress can save Punjab.

“I am grateful to all the senior leaders and the party workers who came in my support and waited for around six hours. So far, I have not been told to visit again for questioning but I will be available as and when police call me again”, Bajwa said, adding that he will not be intimidated by such arm-twisting tactics of the AAP government.

Warring said that the Congress leadership would not be deterred and would be fearless. “I met Bajwa inside the police station and he was in high spirits. He won’t get affected by such political plots against him,” the PPCC chief said.

Randhawa slammed SP Atwal and said his attitude towards Bajwa was not good. “I wrote twice to the Union home minister sharing concerns over attacks on the police stations, terrorist activities being done through drones coming from across the border and increasing hand grenade attacks in Punjab,” Randhawa said.

National leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, were in regular touch with the state leadership and were closely monitoring the situation, Warring said.

Later, addressing a press conference, Raja Warring said the Congress party will remember every official who has intimidated and persecuted its leaders and workers.

Former CM and Jalandhar MP Charanjit Singh Channi said instead of interrogating Bajwa, chief minister Mann should have called him and discussed the situation of the state.