'Targeted killings' taking place to destroy Punjab's communal harmony, says BJP chief Jakhar

Chandigarh, Nov 18 (PTI) Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar on Tuesday alleged that targeted killings were taking place in the state with the clear intent to "destroy" communal harmony.

He alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party government "completely failed" to discharge its responsibility.

His remarks come after the son of RSS leader Baldev Raj Arora, Naveen Arora, was shot dead by two unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants in Ferozepur on November 15.

Jakhar visited Ferozepur to offer condolences to Naveen's family.

He said, "On one hand, gangsters are continuously targeting people, and now, with the aim of shattering the state's communal fabric, the son of a RSS leader has been gunned down in broad daylight." He described it as an attack on 'Punjabiat' and said no Punjabi will tolerate this.

Jakhar pointed out that the murders of RSS leader Jagdish Gagneja earlier, then Vikas Bagga, and now Naveen Arora have all been carried out in a similar pattern, which indicates a larger conspiracy aimed at spoiling Punjab's communal harmony.

"At a time when we are celebrating the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur, who sacrificed his life for religious neutrality and the protection of all faiths, such targeted killings are a blot on the forehead of Punjab and Punjabi culture," he added.

Yet the government has "failed" in its duty, and till now no official reaction has come from the government on this particular issue, he stated.

This appears to be a dirty mindset to create divisions in society, and such elements must be stopped with an iron hand, he stressed.

"The silence of the government on this serious matter is causing even greater concern. The culprits must be identified and those sowing the poison of hatred in the state must receive the strictest punishment," demanded the Punjab BJP president.

He appealed to all Punjabis to maintain mutual brotherhood and not let these anti-society and anti-Punjab forces succeed.

Jakhar recalled the statement of Arvind Kejriwal on November 6 in Tarn Taran, in which the AAP supremo vowed to wipe out gangsters from Punjab.

The BJP state president alleged that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has "knelt" before his Delhi leadership, due to which he has no control over the administration, and the senior leadership of the Aam Aadmi Party is directly responsible for whatever deterioration is taking place in Punjab. PTI CHS HIG HIG