CHANDIGARH: The arrest of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Raman Arora from Jalandhar Central in an alleged corruption case has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties in Punjab, with Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa accusing the AAP government of indulging in "optics and gimmickry" to salvage its image.
In a strongly worded statement, Bajwa termed the arrest a “drama designed to mislead the people of Punjab, ” adding that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s government is “knee-deep in corruption” and using selective arrests to appear tough on graft.
“This is just another attempt by the AAP government to deflect attention from its failures. After launching hollow campaigns like Shiksha Kranti and Yudh Nasheyan De Virudh, they now want to project themselves as crusaders against corruption, ” Bajwa said. “But as always, no meaningful action follows, and no convictions ever materialize.”
Raman Arora’s arrest is reportedly linked to a corruption probe involving former Assistant Town Planner Sukhdev Vashisht of the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation. However, Bajwa questioned why action was taken only now if the allegations were known earlier.
“If the AAP leadership had prior knowledge of Arora’s alleged involvement, why didn’t they act earlier? This selective outrage reeks of a political cover-up. The so-called 'Kattar Imaandaar' party has repeatedly shown its double standards, ” Bajwa alleged.
The senior Congress leader also pointed to a series of past controversies involving AAP ministers and MLAs that were either downplayed or not acted upon. He cited the case of former Health Minister Vijay Singla, who was removed from office amid corruption allegations but continues to remain active in party affairs.
“Then there are cases involving Fauja Singh Sarari, Lal Chand Kataruchak, Sarbjit Kaur Manuke, and Amit Rattan Kotfatta. Each of these leaders faced serious charges, yet the government’s promised zero-tolerance approach has been all talk and no action, ” Bajwa said.
Bajwa accused the Mann government of staging “smoke-and-mirror tactics” to maintain public perception. “Every few months, the AAP government orchestrates a high-profile arrest, but there’s never any follow-through. It’s all part of a script to hoodwink voters into believing they are fighting corruption.”
Calling for genuine accountability, Bajwa urged the people of Punjab to “see through the theatrics and demand real governance.”
“This is not governance—it’s political theatre. Punjab deserves transparency, not tokenism, ” he concluded.