BJP leader and former Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu was detained by Punjab Police on Saturday, after protesting near Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s convoy, accusing AAP workers of attacking his motorcade and vowing to retaliate with “democratic” protests.
Bittu, the grandson of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, was detained in Ludhiana after he held up a bottle toward Mann’s vehicle, declaring he was returning the bottle
and asking him to enjoy his liquor while allowing Arvind Kejriwal to “loot Punjab from Delhi.” The incident occurred as CM Mann arrived at PAU for the Kisan Mela. Bittu also reiterated claims that his convoy had been attacked the previous day with eggs and tomatoes near Batala, damaging two escort vehicles and a jammer vehicle, as reported by Indiatimes.
The Incident and Immediate Aftermath
Bittu’s protest unfolded after he alleged that AAP workers had targeted his convoy during the BJP’s Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra, a campaign against drug abuse. Yesterday eggs and tomatoes were thrown at my cavalcade. Today I have returned them,
Bittu said, according to Republicworld. He claimed the attack occurred when his vehicle slowed down, with protesters surrounding his convoy and damaging windows. A window pane of two escort vehicles broke. They also damaged the jammer vehicle,
he alleged, citing an earlier statement from Indiatimes. Bittu later told reporters that his security team had apprehended three individuals following the incident but pardoned them, emphasizing that such incidents cannot be allowed to undermine the democratic rights of political leaders and workers.
Allegations of Police Inaction
Bittu’s claims of police inaction align with broader tensions between the BJP and AAP in Punjab. He accused AAP workers of orchestrating the attack, alleging that Shery Kalsi and Joban were heading this
and that DSP, SP, were present there.
According to Republicworld, Bittu claimed that police got his convoy to slow down before the attack, helping perpetrators run away. He also alleged that some protesters were carrying weapons.
The BJP’s ‘Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra’ is being launched across the state on Friday, with the party saying the campaign is aimed at raising awareness against the drug menace. Punjab BJP Mahila Morcha president Jai Inder Kaur argued that the attack on Bittu was an attempt to divert attention from our campaign,
citing a lack of law and order in the state. Law and order simply does not exist in the state,
she said, according to Republicworld.
Political Rhetoric and Implications
Bittu’s protest and detention have intensified political tensions in Punjab. He framed his actions as a defense of democratic rights, stating, Political opposition cannot be silenced through police action. BJP workers will answer every democratic protest democratically.
His remarks echoed a broader strategy by the BJP to counter AAP’s influence.
The incident also highlights the volatile nature of political protests in the state. Bittu’s claim that AAP has become a “gangster party” and his call for peaceful democratic protests outside the Chief Minister’s programmes and offices reflect the escalating rhetoric between the two parties. However, no official response from the AAP or Punjab government was cited in the sources.
Bittu has sought registration of an FIR, but no updates on police action were provided in the sources. The event underscores the deepening polarization in Punjab’s political landscape.