BJP condemns Punjab govt for 'muzzling media', says countdown to ruling AAP's downfall begins

New Delhi, Jan 16 (PTI) The BJP on Friday condemned the Punjab government for "muzzling" media and asserted that the countdown to the ruling AAP's downfall in the state has begun.

This came after the Punjab Kesari newspaper group wrote to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann alleging that it was being targeted with multiple raids by enforcement authorities, events that it said began with a "balanced and fair" news report on the opposition allegations against the ruling AAP's national convener.

The Punjab government issued an official statement late in the evening and categorically rejected the Punjab Kesari group's allegations.

The newspaper group, in its letter, alleged that these raids targeted it and its associate concerns "with an extraneous motive to intimidate the press".

Addressing a press conference here at the BJP headquarters, party MP Bansuri Swaraj slammed the Mann government over the allegations and alleged that the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is "systematically suppressing democracy" by trying to "muzzle" media in the state.

This is "reminiscent" of the attacks on media by the Congress government during the Emergency, she charged.

"The newspaper had published an article in which (AAP convener) Arvind Kejriwal had been criticised. Uncomfortable with this criticism, the AAP government launched an attack on the Punjab Kesari group between January 11 and January 15 in a very systematic manner, misusing all the government machinery under its control," Swaraj said.

"The way the Punjab Police, acting on the instructions of Arvind Kejriwal, raided the renowned Punjab Kesari newspaper group without any notice, assaulted and injured the newspaper's employees, and broke into their office, is a blatant attack on democracy. The BJP strongly condemns and denounces this act in the harshest terms," she added.

Citing some other incidents, Swaraj alleged that the Mann government had tried to "muzzle" media in Punjab on various occasions in the past.

"There is a clear pattern," she said, alleging that AAP tried to muzzle media in Delhi too when it was in power.

"For how long will the Aam Aadmi Party continue to muzzle media to hide its misgovernance?" she asked, adding, "This is a very serious issue. The BJP strongly criticises it." Swaraj said people of Delhi rejected the "misgovernance" of the Kejriwal-led dispensation in Delhi and the "misuse" of government machinery last February.

"Now, you are indulging in dictatorship in Punjab too. Trying to muzzle media... AAP is heading to its downfall in Punjab too. Its countdown has begun," the BJP leader added.

Hitting out at AAP, Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar alleged that the Mann government wants to "silence" the voice of independent media in the state.

"I strongly condemn this attack on media freedom," he said.

AAP should not make Punjab a "police state", he said, adding that a BJP delegation will meet the Punjab governor on January 17 in this connection.

BJP Jammu and Kashmir media in-charge Pradeep Mehrotra said, "Just as the Congress party tried to stifle the media during the Emergency, the Bhagwant Mann government, sponsored by Arvind Kejriwal, did the same thing by attacking the offices of Punjab Kesari." This shows that the AAP government in Punjab does not believe in democracy at all, he charged. PTI PK PK KSS KSS