Punjab witnessed a significant political clash as police detained several senior BJP leaders during the party’s ongoing village-level outreach camps meant to promote central government welfare schemes. The BJP, under its campaign ‘BJP De Sewadar, Tuhade Dwar,’ was registering locals for various schemes like Ayushman Card, PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi, and housing initiatives free of cost. The controversy peaked in Shahkot, Jalandhar Dehat, where former MLA KD Bhandari and leader Rana Hardeep Singh were among those apprehended by police at Rooprewal village market. Another prominent BJP leader, Sushil Rinku, was also detained in Adampur.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, declared these camps illegal and imposed a state-wide ban, citing the unauthorized collection of sensitive personal data such as Aadhaar and bank details by BJP workers. DSP Omkar Singh Barar led the operation, defending the move as necessary for citizen data protection under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. According to the government, such drives have previously led to scams, including misuse of OTPs for siphoning off money, and posed risks to cyber safety and individual privacy.
BJP leaders strongly condemned the actions, calling them undemocratic and politically motivated. State working president Ashwani Sharma accused the government of misusing the police force to block their growing popularity and suppress outreach efforts. He announced plans for a delegation to meet Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria to protest the detentions.
The AAP government maintained its stance, stating that all central schemes must be delivered through official state channels and warning citizens to remain vigilant against unauthorized data collection. The controversy has exposed a deepening rift between AAP and BJP in Punjab and is likely to intensify with both parties mobilizing public opinion on the issue. The BJP vowed to continue its campaign and ensure benefits of central schemes reach Punjab’s poor, despite the state crackdown.
