Congress leader and Ludhiana West bypoll candidate Bharat Bhushan Ashu on Friday hit out at the state government, terming the vigilance summons issued to him and the suspension of the Ludhiana Vigilance SSP as deliberate attempts to derail his election campaign.
Addressing the media, Ashu alleged that the government was trying to frame him in a new case, even after the court had quashed an earlier vigilance case against him. He claimed that the entire episode was politically motivated, aimed at disrupting his growing campaign momentum.
Ridiculing the suspension of the SSP, Ashu said the officer had acted independently and was now being made a scapegoat. He released a photograph purportedly showing AAP candidate Sanjeev Arora addressing officials, including the now-suspended SSP, alleging undue political interference.
Reacting to accusations that he orchestrated the issuance of summons to gain sympathy, Ashu remarked sarcastically, “Am I so powerful that I got summons issued to myself? Did I also transfer the former Police Commissioner Kuldeep Chahal and Deputy Commissioner Jatindra Jorwal?”
Ashu further claimed that with the bypoll campaign intensifying, the ruling AAP was resorting to pressure tactics. “A message has gone out to all 28 police stations in Ludhiana to dig out any old complaints against me so I can be falsely implicated,” he alleged.
He said the government’s strategy had backfired, triggering public anger and support for him. “Their plan to arrest me and scare my supporters failed. Now, they are trying to save face by blaming the SSP,” he said.
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