Chandigarh, July 31 (IANS) The Punjab BJP on Friday questioned the arrest of Navdeep Singh, a Nihang Sikh, for allegedly making a video at Shimla’s Ridge in Himachal Pradesh and exercising his right to dissent, questioning the “double standards” of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
BJP spokesperson Pritpal Singh Baliawal wrote on X, “Sorry, Rahul-ji — Double Standards?”, raising questions over the arrest of Singh by the Congress government in the hill state.
“First you broke their bones. Now you are filing FIRs and taking down their accounts,” Baliawal said, adding, “Those are your words. But when a Gen Z Sikh youth, Navdeep Singh, stood in front of the Indira Gandhi statue in Shimla and exercised his right to dissent, your own Congress government allegedly did exactly that — first his bones were broken, then an FIR was registered against him, and he was sent to 10 days of judicial custody.”
He asked the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, “Now, when you speak about the right to protest and freedom of expression, one question naturally arises: Do these principles apply equally to everyone, or only when it suits the Congress?” “The people of Punjab are watching. The people of India are watching,” he added.
Meanwhile, Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s strong warning against the paper leak mafia and the stringent anti-paper leak law passed by Parliament. He said the Centre’s decision is a visionary and much-needed step towards safeguarding the future of millions of hardworking students and ensuring transparency in the examination system.
Dhillon said maintaining the sanctity of the education system and respecting the hard work of young aspirants are among the Modi government’s highest priorities. The Prime Minister has made it clear that no one who plays with the future of the country’s youth will be spared.
He added that while paper leak incidents shatter students’ morale, the Prime Minister’s firm stand has restored confidence and hope among young people across the country.
Targeting the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab, Dhillon said Arvind Kejriwal has repeatedly sought to mobilise youth in Delhi for political gains, but in Punjab –where his own party is in power — the future of young aspirants is being continuously compromised through repeated examination irregularities.
–IANS
vg/uk
