CHANDIGARH: The Congress party, which toppled the elected governments in Punjab seven times and imposed Governor’s Rule, now has its Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, Partap Singh Bajwa, speculating that the BJP may impose Governor’s Rule — and this does not suit him. This was stated by Punjab Bharatiya Janata Party Working President Ashwani Sharma, who gave a strong reply to Bajwa’s accusations.
Sharma said that Congress should stop pretending to be the protector of democracy, because its history in Punjab is filled with central interference, political manipulation, and destabilizing the state. Before pointing fingers at the BJP, they must look at the dark pages of their own decades-long rule.
He said, “From 1951 to 1992, whenever Punjab faced turmoil, it was due to the Congress’s failed politics. Whether losing the majority, internal power struggles, or the Centre’s arbitrariness — every time, it was Congress that brought down Punjab’s elected governments. Today, having lost political ground, Congress is suddenly talking about democracy and state rights.”
BJP leader Sharma further referred to the seven occasions when President’s Rule was imposed under Congress regimes, saying these were not due to natural or crises but were the result of Congress’ “political calculations” and “internal games.” Congress deprived Punjab of democracy multiple times and ran the state through Governors to serve its own interests.