New Delhi [India]: Congress party on Thursday condemned the arrest of Punjab Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira and said that any such act is an abuse of power, and that Congress firmly and unitedly stands against it.
"All India Kissan Congress Chairman, Sukhpal Singh Khaira's arrest is a proof of abuse of power and retaliation" Congress said on X
"The entire Congress family stands with him against this petty conspiracy to suppress his loud voice against injustice. We are not ready to bow down, not ready to stop. We will fight and win" tweeted the Congress
Congress State President Amarinder Singh Raja Brar also condemned the detention of Khaira and termed the action as 'Jungle Raj'.
"The recent arrest Sukhpal Khaira ji smacks of Political Vendetta, it is an attempt to intimidate the opposition and is a ploy of the AAP government to distract from core issues. We stand strongly with Sukhpal Khaira and will take this fight to its logical conclusion" said the Congress PCC Chief.
The Congress PCC Chief also met with the family of Sukhpal Khaira and assured them that the party would stand behind them.
Congress leader in the state Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa also took on the Bhagwant Mann for the detention of the Congress MLA
"Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, governments don't last forever, I strongly criticize your dictatorial goon state. I assure all the cadres of Punjab Congress that we stand like a rock with the entire leadership of the party and every worker" said Bajwa in a video released on X.
The Congress also got support from the BJP over the arrest of Khaira, the BJP accused the AAP government of misusing the police.
"If someone is accused of something, he must be summoned first and make him join the investigation and if he doesn't answer then arrest him...Punjab Police is being misused. Action is being taken against opposition leaders because they are speaking against the government" said BJP leader Manjinder Sirsa.
Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Thursday was detained by Punjab police in connection with the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
In an early morning operation on Thursday, a team of Punjab Police reached Khaira’s residence and conducted a raid in connection with an old case registered in 2015 under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in Jalalabad, Fazilka.
Khaira was hosting a Facebook Live where he can be seeing arguing with police personnel as they raided his house this morning. A police official can be seen in the video telling Khaira that a SIT has been formed in an old drug smuggling case.
In the video, Khaira is also seen raising slogans of "Punjab Sarkar murdabad" as the police personnel detain him.
—ANI