AAP slams Opposition over ‘vulture politics’, says tragedy must not be exploited for political gains

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today accused the Congress, BJP, and Akali Dal for their alleged attempt to exploit a tragic death for political gains, asserting that the bereaved family must be allowed to grieve with dignity and that politics over dead bodies cannot be permitted.

AAP asserted that the opposition parties in Punjab are indulging in an extremely insensitive “vulture politics”, as the traditional parties are rushing to politicalise every tragedy and even seeking to derive political mileage from a family’s grief. In a video message, AAP Punjab State General Secretary (Organisation) and Media In-charge Baltej Pannu said, “Punjab’s opposition parties are doing such dirty politics at present that it can be called the politics of vultures. Similar sensitivity was absent during previous governments when people lost their lives. Who is doing this politics? During Captain Amarinder Singh’s government, a person running a paratha business committed suicide and named someone. No case was registered. Around 750 farmers died while demanding their rights at the borders of Delhi, but nobody’s conscience was stirred,” he said.

Baltej Pannu pointed out that in the present case, the opposition had immediately moved to exploit the tragedy politically. “One person committed suicide and they immediately set out to do politics over his dead body. His last rites were performed with the consent of his family,” he said.

He asserted, “The Punjab Government stands with every resident of Punjab and with his family. We do not indulge in this kind of politics, but one thing is certain: we will not allow this kind of politics to be done.”

AAP National Media In-charge Anurag Dhanda said, “The Congress, BJP, and Akali Dal have become extremely desperate in Punjab. The way the Aam Aadmi Party government is promoting sports and working to control drugs in Punjab has left them rattled. If a person comes before a minister and raises his problem, it shows that he has faith in that government. That is why he brings his problem before the minister. As soon as the problem was raised, all the people whose names were mentioned by the family were taken into police custody. All of them have been arrested.”

“Has your politics become so dirty that you will play with a person’s life simply because you want to do politics? The first video released by that person after the incident does not mention the name of any of our ministers anywhere. People can listen to that video themselves,” he said. Dhanda further raised questions about the circumstances in which another video was recorded after the person had consumed poison. “When that person consumed poison, pressure was put on him to record another video, telling him that he would not be taken to hospital until he named the minister. So who killed him?” Anurag Dhanda asked, while demanding that the circumstances surrounding the episode be investigated.

He said those attempting to use the tragedy for political purposes should themselves come under scrutiny.

On the Punjab Government’s action on drugs, Anurag Dhanda made it clear that political affiliation would not protect anyone involved in drug trafficking. “Whether a drug trafficker is close to the Congress, BJP or Akali Dal, the Bhagwant Mann government will not spare a single drug trafficker under any circumstances. Thousands of drug traffickers have been arrested and sent to jail. They will serve their sentences. Whoever is named in the future will also be dealt with. We are not like them,” he said.

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