Atishi’s clarification on her video ‘looks like an admission of guilt’, says Punjab BJP chief

Chandigarh, Jan 10 (LatestNewsX) Punjab BJP President Sunil Jakhar on Saturday said that although the clarification issued by former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi regarding her video itself “looks like an admission of guilt, the Punjab Police conducted a forensic examination of her video within a day and gave her a clean chit.”

He questioned why the same police could not conduct a forensic examination of the video related to the Chief Minister within a day and give him a clean chit as well. He said that despite a long time having passed, the police not doing so, or the Chief Minister himself not showing the courage to order an investigation, is in itself an indication that there is something suspicious in the matter.

Jakhar challenged Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to either resign from his post or immediately get the investigation conducted into the video related to alleged religious sacrilege circulating about him, and prove himself completely innocent. He said that if a video related to Atishi can be investigated within a day, then the video related to the Chief Minister can also certainly be investigated within a day.

He stated that if the “Chief Minister does not have the courage to get a forensic examination conducted into the video related to him, then he has no moral right to continue in office.”

Continuing his remarks on the speed with which the Jalandhar Police conducted a forensic examination of Atishi’s statement video within a day, the state BJP President said, “It is not just one video, but two other audio-video clips that have been circulating in society for a long time, and the government is not getting them investigated.”

The BJP leader said that even in her clarification, former Chief Minister Atishi has admitted that she used the word “dogs” as a term of reference. He questioned in what context these words were used, saying that this is important. Considering the context of whose honour was being discussed during the ongoing Assembly proceedings, Atishi’s statement can be better understood, and the low-level mindset of the party’s leaders can be assessed.

He said that on one hand, the Punjab Chief Minister is convening a special Assembly session in honour of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib and on the other, the former Chief Minister of Delhi is using such derogatory language in the Assembly.

Jakhar said while this video was given a clean chit after a forensic examination within a day by the Punjab Police, on the other hand, an audio related to the Patiala SSP allegedly planning to rig the Zila Parishad elections by acting as a tool of the ruling party, and a video related to the Chief Minister himself involving alleged religious sacrilege, are circulating in society.

He challenged the government to immediately get forensic examinations of both these audio and video clips conducted from a forensic lab and establish the truth. He said that despite the High Court’s orders, the government has not yet given any response regarding the investigation into the Patiala SSP’s audio, whereas the Chief Minister should get the investigation conducted into the video related to him and seize the opportunity to prove himself innocent.

Jakhar said the failure to conduct forensic examinations of these two audio and video clips so far itself proves that they could be genuine. He added that it does not befit a person occupying the post of Chief Minister that such videos are circulating about him, and that he does not get them investigated to clearly establish the truth.

Also, the state BJP president said that to seek answers from the government on the continuously deteriorating law and order situation in the state, Punjab emerging as a hub of drugs, and the increasing corruption in the state, the party will ‘gherao’ the Chief Minister’s residence in Chandigarh on January 16.

vg/uk