Latest news with #Chugh
The Print
a day ago
- General
- The Print
Result of law and order collapse in Punjab: BJP's Tarun Chugh on Ambedkar statue defacement
An unidentified person defaced Ambedkar's statue with black paint in Nangal village in Phillaur sub-division of Jalandhar district, police said on Monday. In a statement here, the BJP national general secretary alleged that such incidents are a result of 'the complete collapse of law and order' in the state. Chandigarh, Jun 3 (PTI) BJP leader Tarun Chugh on Tuesday condemned the defacement of a statue of B R Ambedkar in Punjab's Jalandhar, saying the incident is a direct assault on the Constitution and the dignity of marginalised citizens who see Babasaheb as their guiding light. Chugh said the incident is not merely an insult to a statue, it is a direct and disgraceful assault on the Constitution of India, principles of social justice and dignity of millions of marginalised citizens who see Babasaheb as their guiding light. This is not an isolated incident. Earlier, a similar shameful incident took place near a police station in Amritsar, he said. 'Each time such incidents occur, the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government has chosen to stay silent. This consistent indifference and inaction expose the complete collapse of law and order in the state and reflect a dangerous apathy toward issues that affect the soul of our democracy,' the BJP leader alleged. 'It appears that Bhagwant Mann is either in a deep slumber or is too busy entertaining his Delhi boss Arvind Kejriwal and his political guests to notice what is happening in Punjab,' he said. Chugh said Ambedkar is not just an icon of the marginalised, he is the soul of India, the architect of the Constitution, and a symbol of equality, dignity and justice. 'If today, even his statue is not safe in Punjab, it exposes the glaring failure of this government and its lack of political will to uphold constitutional values,' he claimed. He asked whether Punjab is now heading towards a situation where even the ideals of social justice and harmony are no longer safeguarded. Chugh demanded the immediate arrest of the culprit and strict legal action in the matter. PTI CHS DIV DIV DIV This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Drugs entered state during SAD-BJP govt: Dhaliwal
Ludhiana: Punjab minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal strongly criticised BJP Punjab general secretary Tarun Chugh, holding the saffron party responsible for drug issues of the state. He addressed mediapersons alongside Tanda MLA Jasvir Singh Raja Gill and Dharamkot MLA Devinderjit Singh Laddi Dhos, among others. In response to statements from Chugh and BJP spokesperson Vineet Joshi, Dhaliwal said that drug-related issues and gangsterism had increased during the BJP-Akali Dal government. He questioned the BJP's silence when drugs began entering Punjab and challenged its inaction during that period. The minister pointed out that BJP remained quiet when senior Akali leaders and their coalition partners faced drug smuggling allegations. He questioned Chugh about the party's silence when a prominent Akali leader was imprisoned for smuggling activities. Dhaliwal criticised Captain Amarinder Singh, now affiliated with BJP, for not fulfilling his 2017 commitment to eliminate drugs in Punjab. He questioned why Amarinder, who is currently in BJP, remained passive on this crucial matter. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Use an AI Writing Tool That Actually Understands Your Voice Grammarly Install Now Undo Discussing the AAP government's initiatives, Dhaliwal elaborated on the Yudh Nashian Virudh campaign launched on March 1. He reported the arrest of over 14,500 smugglers, registration of 8,600 FIRs, and seizure of 594 kilograms of heroin. The campaign has gained widespread support across Punjab. He extended an invitation to Chugh to visit Amritsar and observe the impact of the campaign firsthand, defending its effectiveness and widespread public participation. Dhaliwal accused BJP of working against Punjab's interests, citing CISF deployment at Nangal Dam and withholding of central funds. The minister also challenged Congress leaders, particularly Charanjit Singh Channi and asked them to justify their governance. He criticised their failure to take concrete action against drug smugglers. Concluding his address, Dhaliwal emphasised AAP's commitment to Punjab's development, highlighting their achievements in combating drugs and protecting state interests. He expressed confidence in winning the Ludhiana West bypoll and challenged BJP leaders to demonstrate their contributions to Punjab.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
BJP also questions AAP's anti-drug drive
Ludhiana: BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh joined party candidate Jiwan Gupta's campaign for the west bypoll on Sunday, criticising the ruling Aam Aadmi Party's governance in Punjab. Chugh questioned the efficacy of AAP's "Yudh Nasheyan Virudh" drive against drugs, noting that drug problems persist in the state. He expressed confidence in BJP's victory, dismissing other candidates as proxies and stating the real contest would be between BJP and AAP. Chugh emphatically criticised the education system of the state, saying that classrooms lacked basic facilities like blackboards and teachers under the "Shiksha Kranti" initiative. He predicted BJP would form the government in Punjab in 2027, with the upcoming bypoll results indicating public sentiment. Regarding development works, Chugh attributed progress of the city and state to funding by the Centre, claiming AAP's contribution was minimal. He also alleged that AAP's candidate, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora, was contesting reluctantly under party pressure. Nomination Filing BJP candidate Jiwan Gupta will file his nomination papers on Monday, the last day for submissions. Supporters will gather at Ferozepur Road near Bharat Nagar Chowk before proceeding to the DC office. Punjab BJP leadership is expected to participate in the nomination process. Gupta's candidature was announced on Saturday. AAP's unfulfilled promises: Chugh - Monthly Rs 1,000 payment to females - Farmer loan waivers - Business sector relief - Job guarantees for households
Hans India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Ludhiana bypoll litmus test for AAP in Punjab, says BJP leader Tarun Chugh
BJP national General Secretary Tarun Chugh said on Sunday that Punjab is facing a debt of over Rs 4 lakh crore, while campaigning for Jeewan Gupta, the BJP candidate for the June 19 Ludhiana (West) bypoll. He also gave a call to expose the theatrical actions of the AAP government in Punjab. Speaking to the media, Chugh said the bypoll is a litmus test for Punjab, which is currently suffering under AAP's chaotic and directionless governance. 'Punjab is facing a grave law and order crisis and due to complete financial mismanagement, the state is reeling under a debt of more than Rs 4 lakh crore,' Chugh said. He added that Ludhiana, once hailed as the industrial capital of India, is now battling a lack of basic infrastructure, a surge in organised crime, and rampant drug abuse. Investors are fleeing to other states, while the youth of Punjab feel betrayed by AAP's empty promises of jobs and prosperity. Chugh hit out at Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, calling him a puppet in the hands of Arvind Kejriwal. He said, 'Just like the people of Delhi rejected Kejriwal, the people of Punjab will do the same to Bhagwant Mann in 2027.' BJP candidate Jeewan Gupta, while thanking the party leadership for entrusting him with this opportunity, said he is hopeful and determined. He said the business community in Punjab is particularly suffering under the Mann regime due to the absence of a clear, consistent industrial policy. He assured that with public support, he will raise every voice that AAP has silenced in Punjab. The bypoll for the Ludhiana (West) Assembly was necessitated by the demise of Gurpreet Gogi Bassi, who sustained a gunshot wound to his head at his house in January. The election will be held on June 17, with the counting of ballots on June 23 along with four other Assembly seats -- two in Gujarat and one each in Kerala and West Bengal. The state Aam Aadmi Party in February announced Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora as its candidate for the by-election, while the main Opposition Congress has fielded former Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, who is being accused in a multi-crore foodgrain transportation and labour cartage tender scam. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has nominated Parupkar Singh Ghuman for the bypoll. By fielding the sitting MP, speculations in political circles are rife that AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal, who's active in the state politics after facing humiliating defeat not only of his party but his bastion in Delhi Assembly elections, is going to the Rajya Sabha in his place in case Arora wins the bypoll. However, the party has so far denied that Kejriwal is moving to the Rajya Sabha. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) in October 2024 carried out a raid at the residence of AAP candidate Arora in Ludhiana as part of a money laundering probe linked to a land 'fraud' case. The raid was in connection with a chunk of land that was allotted to Ritesh Properties and Industries Limited, one of the companies owned by Arora, by the state government for an industrial project, but it was used for a residential project. In the 2022 Assembly elections, AAP's legislator Gogi, who joined the party in the run-up to the polls, defeated two-time legislator Bharat Bhushan Ashu in Ludhiana (West), a traditional Congress stronghold urban seat.
India Gazette
6 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
Congress cannot rise above vote-bank politics: BJP's Tarun Chugh
New Delhi [India], May 29 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National General Secretary Tarun Chugh has lashed out at the Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel for making an outrageous and deeply insensitive remark that 'terrorism has benefitted the BJP.' Chugh said, 'This isn't just a slip of the tongue -- it reflects the Congress party's distorted, dangerous, and defeatist mindset. Will Congress now evaluate terrorism -- which has claimed the lives of countless soldiers and civilians -- by calculating who gained and who lost politically?' He questioned whether Congress has sunk to such depths that even an issue as grave as terrorism is now seen through the lens of electoral arithmetic. 'What a shame that the party which ruled India for decades cannot rise above vote-bank politics, even while discussing the bloodshed of innocent Indians,' Chugh said. Chugh reminded that under the Congress regime, particularly from 2004 to 2014, India faced one terrorist attack after another -- from Delhi to Mumbai, Hyderabad to Bangalore -- yet there was no decisive response, no accountability, and no justice. 'After 26/11, the nation expected retribution. Instead, Congress sent dossiers and love letters to Pakistan,' he said. Slamming Bhupesh Baghel, Chugh stated, 'If he truly believes that the BJP benefitted from terrorism, then he is not just mocking the martyrdom of our brave soldiers -- he is spitting on the pain of every Indian who has suffered from the horrors of terrorism. This is not politics; this is moral decay. For decades, Congress had the opportunity and the mandate to root out terrorism, but it chose silence and appeasement over action. Where there should have been strikes, there were excuses. Where there should have been resolve, there were dossiers. Rahul Gandhi must answer whether this shameful mindset is now Congress's official position.' Tarun Chugh expressed his strong support for the all-party delegation that has recently travelled abroad to expose Pakistan as a state sponsor of terrorism. He said this is a much-needed unified effort to present India's case to the global community. Chugh emphasised that when it comes to national security and the threat of terrorism, political lines must disappear, and the message must be clear: India will not tolerate cross-border terror, and the world must hold Pakistan accountable. Referring to the recent targeting of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor by his own party colleagues -- including Jairam Ramesh, Pawan Khera, and Udit Raj -- for exposing Pakistan on global platforms, Chugh said, 'In today's Congress, if you speak for India, you are branded a traitor. If you expose Pakistan, you're attacked by your own. Is this the Indian National Congress -- or a confused club of Pakistan's blue-eyed boys?' Chugh concluded, 'Congress is no longer a mainstream national party. It has become a confused, compromised cartel that sees nationalism as a crime and treats Pakistan -- a state sponsoring global terrorism -- as a friend. That is the stark difference between the BJP's nationalism and Congress's directionless, anti-India politics.' After facing a backlash from his party over his endorsement of the BJP-led Central government over Operation Sindoor, Tharoor slammed his critics for 'distorting' his views. In a post on X, Tharoor pointed out that he spoke only about reprisals for terrorist attacks and not about previous wars. 'After a long and successful day in Panama, I have to wind up at midnight where with departure for Bogota, Colombia in six hours, so I don't really have time for this -- but anyway: For those zealots fulminating about my supposed ignorance of Indian valour across the LoC in the past, I was clearly and explicitly speaking only about reprisals for terrorist attacks and not about previous wars,' he said. (ANI)
