Action against BJP camps: Punjab Police says ‘political party’ collecting money as ‘commission’

A row has erupted in Punjab with the BJP accused the Aam Aadmi Party government of forcibly stopping its camps at 39 — part of ‘BJP De Sewadar, Aa Gaye Tuhade Dwar’ programme. The BJP claims they have launched the outreach to ensure that the poor, the scheduled caste community, farmers, youth and women get the benefits of public welfare schemes of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre. The ruling AAP, on the other hand has flagged data breach concerns while accusing the BJP workers of “illegally” collecting personal details, including Aadhaar number.

A Punjab Police spokesperson said that some citizens have also complained that they had given their bank account numbers to the persons who contacted them and that their bank accounts have been emptied of all money subsequently.

However, when The Indian Express asked spokesperson to give details of the FIRs lodged against any persons who have been holding the camps and against whom complaints were made, no information was forthcoming.

The police also failed to give details about the law under which house arrests and detentions in police stations of several BJP leaders across Punjab were carried out on Thursday, when the action against the facilitation camps began.

In a lone statement, Fazilka SSP, Gurmeer Singh SSP said that the action was necessary to maintain law and order and to protect citizens’ personal data. He said that the government has issued strict directions to enforce the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, under which collecting personal data without consent is a serious offence.

The SSP further said that a district level committee has been constituted to investigate the matter and it includes the SDM Abohar, DSP Balluana, and SHO of Sadar Abohar police station.

Meanwhile the Punjab Police spokesperson added that all such complaints are being examined and strict action will be taken as per law. “We urge the public to stay away from such anti-social elements and not to share any personal data with anyone as the same could be misused,” the spokesperson added.

The spokesperson went on to say that people should also not approach any such “private illegal people” to get their government work done. “Government has set up many ‘Sewa Kendras’ across the Punjab. People may approach any ‘Sewa Kendra’ or any Punjab government office for their government work. People should not pay any commission or dalali to anyone from any political party for any government work,” the spokesperson said, adding that the public is urged to immediately inform police if any such illegal camps are set up in their area.

Meanwhile, Jakhar, who along with his supporters was marching to Raipur village in Fazilka to attend a facilitation camp were stopped at a toll plaza in Abohar and detained. Those detained included his nephew and suspended Congress MLA Sandeep Jakhar, and former minister Surjit Kumar Jayani.

Jakhar was first taken to the Canal Guest House and later to Khuian Sarwar police station before being released at 4 pm. Sandeep and Jayani were taken to Sadar police station. Meanwhile, BJP supporters held protests outside both police stations.

“Police wanted to lodge a case under breach of public peace and other offences, but I refused to sign any paper,” said Jakhar. He said AAP “has been exposed” as politically insensitive towards the poor and “that is why they are stopping our welfare camps”.

Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, however, alleged that the saffron party of getting personal data, including Aadhaar, PAN and bank account details of the citizens in the name of public service. “This data can be misused and digital fraud can take place,” he said.

Through these camps, the BJP will try to “steal” data, “misuse” it, “delete votes” and “commit digital fraud”, he alleged, while accusing the BJP of indulging in “stealing” votes. He alleged that the BJP tried to “steal” votes during the Chandigarh mayoral elections in 2024.

He said that the state government was committed to protecting the personal data of its citizens under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.

State BJP working president Ashwani Sharma hit back, saying the AAP government was “rattled” by the growing popularity of the opposition party in every village and the city across the state, and which was why it was levelling “false allegations”.

Countering Cheema’s allegations of data theft, Sharma said it was a case of the pot calling the kettle black. He said that during the 2022 Vidhan Sabha election campaign, AAP collected people’s data by making them fill out forms through various promises. Citing an example, Sharma said they collected data by registering women for the electoral promise of giving them Rs 1,000 per month.

“Data was collected by making people fill out forms at every Town Hall programme,” he claimed.

Sharma said by not promoting the public welfare schemes run by the Narendra Modi government for the benefit of the poor, unemployed, farmers, Dalits, women and youth, AAP was “depriving” a large section of the people of Punjab from these benefits.

AAP state spokesperson Neel Garg hit back: “This is not Seva, this is BJP’s political drama. Central schemes run on people’s money — not BJP’s. Only the state government has the authority to implement them, not private individuals or political parties. Punjab already has Seva Kendras where people get free services. Complaints are coming that citizens’ personal data is being collected. With rising cyber frauds, who will be responsible if people are cheated?.”