Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Ravneet Singh Bittu on Monday paid a courtesy call to Punjab Governor Banwari Lal Purohit and shared with him his concerns about the law-and-order situation in the border state.

Bittu said that the Governor was equally worried about deteriorating law and order in Punjab. Bittu added that the Central Government was getting disturbing reports about criminal and terrorist-related activities in the state. “The present AAP government led by Bhagwant Mann was allowing the situation to go from bad to worst. The way criminals are roaming around, the security of common citizens is at high risk,” he said.

Citing the incident of attack on Shiv Sena leader Sandeep Thapar at Ludhiana and firing incidents leading to murders in various other cities, the Union Minister said that parole granted to a jailed gangster Daljit Singh Bhana by AAP Government was testimony of state machinery backing criminals.

Bittu said that AAP Government was not able to control crime, corruption, drugs and illegal mining, “which were the main promises of AAP for seeking votes from people of Punjab. AAP has cheated the people of Punjab with false promises”.

“I have also apprised the Governor about central funding for the State. AAP Government was spreading lies about the holding of RDF, NHM, and education funds by the Center,” he added.

Stating that the AAP-led Punjab Government was interested in doing politics over the central funds, Bittu challenged the Chief Minister to tell the people of Punjab how many times he had met the Prime Minister and concerned Union Ministers for release of funds.

“AAP government is just writing letters and issuing press statements to do politics over these issues. If the Centre had raised any objection to release of funds, it is the duty of the Punjab government to remove the objections,” he said.