Punjab CM Slams EC Raid at Kapurthala House, Calls It an ‘Insult to Punjabis’

| | Chandigarh
1 2 3 4 5
  • 0

Punjab CM Slams EC Raid at Kapurthala House, Calls It an ‘Insult to Punjabis’

Friday, 31 January 2025 | Monika Malik | Chandigarh

The political battleground of Delhi has now spilled over into Punjab, as the Election Commission (EC) and Delhi Police attempted to search Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s official residence — Kapurthala House — in the national capital. The move, which followed the controversial seizure of a vehicle, bearing “Punjab Government” sticker, allegedly carrying cash and liquor near Punjab Bhawan, has been met with sharp resistance from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), with Mann calling it an “insult to Punjabis” and a “politically motivated act at the behest of the BJP”.

 

Shortly after EC officials and Delhi Police personnel reached Kapurthala House, Mann took to social media to condemn the move, accusing the authorities of deliberately targeting him while ignoring alleged election violations by the BJP.

 

“Today, a team from the Election Commission along with Delhi Police reached my official residence in Delhi to conduct a raid. In Delhi, BJP leaders are openly distributing money, but the Election Commission and Delhi Police see nothing. No action is being taken against them. This is a direct attempt to defame Punjabis at BJP’s behest,” Mann posted on X (formerly Twitter). 

 

AAP leaders have strongly condemned the move, calling it an act of “political revenge”. The party’s Punjab unit president and Cabinet Minister Aman Arora alleged that the BJP, fearing electoral defeat, was using central agencies and law enforcement to intimidate AAP leaders.

 

“The BJP is terrified of losing in Delhi and is resorting to dirty tricks. They planted a fake vehicle to frame AAP, and now they are raiding the Punjab CM’s residence. Why hasn’t the Election Commission taken action against BJP leaders like Pravesh Verma and Kailash Gahlot, who have been openly distributing money?” Arora questioned. 

 

According to the EC officials, the raid was prompted by a complaint filed through the cVIGIL app, which allows citizens to report violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). The complaint alleged that cash was being distributed from Kapurthala House, leading to the immediate deployment of a Flying Squad Team (FST) under standard election monitoring protocols. 

 

An EC official, talking with the media, stated, “We received a complaint regarding cash distribution from Kapurthala House, which falls under the New Delhi Assembly constituency. As per protocol, a team was dispatched for verification. However, our officials were denied entry, and the matter is being reviewed.”

 

AAP leaders, however, see this as part of a broader strategy to discredit the party. “If the EC is truly impartial, why is it only targeting AAP? BJP’s open cash distribution is visible to everyone, yet no action is taken against them. This is an orchestrated attempt to mislead voters and divert attention,” said Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema. 

 

The raid on Punjab CM’s official residence comes just a day after Delhi Police seized a vehicle bearing a “Punjab Government” sticker near Punjab Bhawan. The car, which reportedly contained Rs 10 lakh in cash, liquor bottles, and AAP campaign material, sparked a political storm, with BJP accusing AAP of election malpractice. 

 

However, Punjab’s Transport Department quickly countered the allegations, revealing that the vehicle’s number plate was fake and did not belong to the Punjab government.

 

Mann has since alleged that the entire episode was a “political conspiracy” orchestrated by the BJP to malign AAP and Punjabis. 

Trending News

more

Sunday Edition

Chettinad: Unleashing the Ghosts of Imagination

16 February 2025 | Divya Bhatia | Agenda

A Sky Full of Wings

16 February 2025 | SAKSHI PRIYA | Agenda

Pan India Plates

16 February 2025 | Abhi Singhal | Agenda

Indulgent Flavours

16 February 2025 | Team Agenda | Agenda

Young and Rising Stars of Dining

16 February 2025 | Pawan Soni | Agenda

Reconnect with yourself

16 February 2025 | Rohit Kaul | Agenda

Chettinad: Unleashing the Ghosts of Imagination

16 February 2025 | Divya Bhatia | Agenda

A Sky Full of Wings

16 February 2025 | SAKSHI PRIYA | Agenda