I am duty bound to alert authorities about any possible threat, says Bajwa

Punjab Police reached your doorstep and questioned you over claims that 50 bombs had entered your State. Was it political rhetoric or did you have specific information?

My statement was neither rhetoric nor alarmist. As a public representative, I am duty-bound to alert the authorities and the public about any potential threats to the safety of our State. The information I shared was based on credible sources, and I raised it to prompt the government to take preventive action. Instead of responding with maturity and seriousness, the Punjab government chose to politicise the matter and harass the Opposition. That is unfortunate and a disservice to public safety.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has accused you of doing “politics of threat and panic” and “links with Pakistan”. The State government has also registered cases against you under different sections of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

Such baseless accusations reflect the desperation of a failing government. I have served Punjab and the nation for decades, and my record speaks for itself. Linking me with Pakistan is not only defamatory but also an insult to the people of Punjab who have suffered the most due to cross-border tensions. 

As for the case under the BNSS, they are clearly politically motivated and intended to silence dissent. We will face them legally and expose the vendetta politics of this government.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief in Punjab Aman Arora has accused you of being involved in the drugs cartel in the State?

This is an outrageous and defamatory allegation by Mr. Aman Arora. I want to remind him and the AAP that the drug menace in Punjab has worsened under their own government’s watch. Instead of taking concrete action to eradicate the problem, they are indulging in cheap mudslinging to distract from their administrative failures.

I have always stood firm against drug trafficking and have consistently demanded strict action against those involved. If Mr. Arora or his party has any evidence against me, they should present it before a court of law rather than making baseless statements in the media.

The relations between AAP and Congress have hit a low but in the recent AICC session, your party reaffirmed its commitment to the INDIA bloc where AAP is a constituent?

At the national level, the INDIA bloc represents a larger commitment to safeguarding democracy, the Constitution, and federalism. That said, electoral dynamics differ from State to State. In Punjab, we are the principal Opposition, and we will hold the AAP government accountable for its failures. Our fight here is against misgovernance and corruption. But at the national level, we remain committed to unity in diversity, and all decisions will be taken keeping the larger interest of the nation in mind.