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Jammu: Senior BJP leader and party spokesperson Dr Tahir Chowdhary on Friday backed the allegations made by BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj, accusing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab of using state machinery to intimidate and silence the media.
Reacting to the controversy surrounding the Punjab Kesari newspaper group’s claim of facing multiple raids after publishing reports critical of AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, Dr Chowdhary said the developments clearly pointed towards an “authoritarian approach” adopted by the Bhagwant Mann-led government.
Dr Chowdhary endorsed Bansuri Swaraj’s charge that enforcement agencies were allegedly misused in a “systematic manner” between January 11 and January 15 to target the newspaper group for carrying what it described as a balanced report on opposition allegations against the AAP leadership.
He said a government uncomfortable with criticism resorts to pressure tactics instead of answering questions.
“The BJP MP has rightly exposed how the AAP government is trying to muzzle the media. A free press is the backbone of democracy, and any attempt to intimidate journalists or media houses is a direct attack on democratic values,” Dr Chowdhary said.
Referring to past incidents, the BJP spokesperson claimed that such attempts to suppress independent voices were not new in Punjab and reflected a broader pattern of intolerance towards dissent under AAP rule.
He alleged that the party was trying to hide its misgovernance by silencing those who question it.
Dr Chowdhary further said that the people of Delhi had already rejected what he called the Kejriwal government’s misgovernance and misuse of official machinery, and warned that similar public anger was building up in Punjab as well.
“The countdown of AAP in Punjab has begun,” he said, echoing Bansuri Swaraj’s remarks.
Reiterating the BJP’s stand, Dr Chowdhary said the party stood firmly with the media and demanded accountability from the Punjab government. Cni