CHANDIGARH: Vineet Joshi, State Media Head, Bharatiya Janata Party Punjab, today strongly condemned the registration of FIRs by the Punjab Police against senior journalists and RTI activists, terming the action a blatant misuse of state machinery at the behest of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leadership.
He said that the cases against journalists like Maninderjit Singh Sidhu and Lok Awaaz’s Mintu Gursaria, along with RTI activist Manik Goel, reflect a dangerous pattern of intimidation aimed at silencing voices that question those in power.
Joshi stated that instead of answering legitimate questions—such as those related to the Chief Minister’s helicopter usage, lavish renovations of official residences, and failures in governance—the AAP government has chosen the path of repression. “This is not governance; this is vendetta politics. Registering cases against journalists for asking questions strikes at the very heart of democracy and press freedom, ” he said.
He reminded that AAP originated from the anti-corruption and RTI movement but is today betraying its own foundational ideals. “From journalists to social media users, anyone who dares to speak the truth is being threatened with police action. This authoritarian mindset is reminiscent of the darkest chapters of Indian democracy, ” Joshi added.
The BJP Punjab leader also criticized the growing VIP culture, unfulfilled promises to women, failure to curb drug abuse, and rampant illegal mining under the AAP regime, stating that the gap between AAP’s words and actions has become unbridgeable.
Joshi announced that the BJP stands firmly with the journalist fraternity and will fully support the peaceful protest being organised in Chandigarh. “The voice of truth cannot be crushed with FIRs. The people of Punjab are watching, and they will respond decisively, ” he asserted.