Arvind Kejriwal accused the Centre in Jalandhar of protecting Lawrence Bishnoi in Sabarmati jail. He also linked the row to Punjab’s anti-drug campaign and alleged Gujarat had become a narcotics gateway.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led Centre, alleging that jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi enjoys official protection and describing him as the “son-in-law” of the “ED Party”, a term he used to refer to the BJP.
Addressing a gathering in Jalandhar after attending a meeting of the Punjab State Traders Commission alongside Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Kejriwal accused the Centre of shielding Bishnoi, who is currently lodged in Sabarmati jail in Gujarat.
“The only gangster left is Lawrence Bishnoi. He is sitting in Sabarmati jail and is the ‘damaad’ (son-in-law) of the ED Party. He is under their protection,” Kejriwal alleged.
Claiming that the Union Home Ministry has ensured Bishnoi remains in the Gujarat prison, Kejriwal said the gangster continues to operate his network from behind bars. He alleged that even when crimes linked to Bishnoi take place in Punjab, the Punjab Police cannot bring him to the state for questioning and investigators have to travel to Sabarmati jail instead.
“He is sitting there and running his network not just across India but across the world. Punjab Police officers have to go to Sabarmati jail to question him. He has been given every facility,” Kejriwal said.
“Not a single gangster emerged during the AAP government’s tenure. They are all products of older parties,” he said, adding that his government had brought seven gangsters back to Punjab from seven different countries and was continuing its crackdown on organised crime and drug trafficking.
The AAP chief also linked his criticism of the Centre to the issue of drug trafficking, alleging that Gujarat has emerged as a major source of narcotics entering the country despite being governed by the BJP for decades.
“When we came to power in Punjab, 70 per cent of drugs were coming from Pakistan through drones and 30 per cent from Gujarat. Today, 70 per cent of the drugs and ‘chitta’ are coming from Gujarat,” Kejriwal claimed.
He said the Punjab government had significantly reduced drug smuggling through the Pakistan border by deploying anti-drone systems capable of intercepting drones before they enter the state.
Referring to the 2021 seizure of around 3,000 kg of narcotics worth Rs 21,000 crore at Mundra Port in Gujarat, Kejriwal alleged that the state had become a gateway for drugs entering India. He also cited reports regarding missing drug stocks in Gujarat and questioned how much narcotics escaped detection.
