AAP-BJP spar in Punjab over saffron party’s campaign
The state government has ordered a probe into the initiative, alleging that it is being used to illegally collect personal data.
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The government, in a parallel statement, claimed it had “credible reports” that private operators were collecting residents’ data on behalf of political parties.The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are at loggerheads over the saffron party’s door-to-door campaign “BJP De Sewadar Aa Gaye Tuhade Dwar”, pitched as an outreach to help people register for central Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) schemes through their mobile phones. The state government has ordered a probe into the initiative, alleging that it is being used to illegally collect personal data.
The row surfaced Wednesday when BJP alleged that Punjab Police stopped its teams at 39 locations across the state from assisting people in logging in for welfare schemes.
Hours later, Punjab Police and the state government issued separate statements saying “personal information of individuals was being collected under the garb of government schemes.” The police said multiple inquiry teams had been formed to verify complaints about “unauthorised camps” and warned citizens against sharing Aadhaar and other sensitive details with anyone other than official agencies. A police spokesperson said Suvidha Centres were available to help citizens enrol in government schemes after due verification.
The government, in a parallel statement, claimed it had “credible reports” that private operators were collecting residents’ data on behalf of political parties. It reminded that under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, collection or use of personal information without consent is a punishable offence. Local police have been directed to initiate strict penal action.
Officials further said that several individuals who shared their details in such drives were later targeted in scams, including OTP misuse to siphon off money. “The Government strongly urges citizens not to share personal information with unauthorised persons or agencies. They are advised to remain vigilant and immediately report such activity,” the statement added.
The BJP hit back, accusing the AAP government of using the police to block its outreach. Punjab BJP working president Ashwani Sharma called the move “undemocratic and anti-people.” In a post on X, he wrote: “To ensure that the poor, SC communities, farmers, youth and women of Punjab benefit from Modi government’s schemes, the ‘BJP De Sewadar Aa Gaye Tuhade Dwar’ campaign is being conducted across Punjab. In order to hide its own failure and inefficiency, and fearing Modi’s growing popularity, the AAP government misused the police to stop our campaign at 39 locations.”
He said a BJP delegation would soon meet the Governor to protest the state government’s “illegal actions.”
BJP spokesperson Vineet Joshi added that the campaign, launched on June 20, was focused on spreading awareness about welfare schemes such as Ayushman Bharat, PM Kisan Samman Nidhi and schemes for Scheduled Castes. “There are no camps as the government claims. Our technical teams are only helping people register online. Thousands have already logged in and benefited,” he said.
The clash has added a fresh flashpoint to AAP-BJP ties in Punjab, where the ruling party has accused the Centre of withholding funds while the BJP has been seeking to expand its footprint by showcasing central welfare schemes in villages.
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