Justify why 10K police personnel were transferred, Congress leader tells Punjab CM Mann

Chandigarh: After Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav defended the police personnel, Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa on Saturday urged Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to justify why 10,000 Punjab police personnel were transferred recently.

Congress Leader Bajwa said Mann on Tuesday announced that at least 10,000 police personnel, from the rank of constable onward, have been transferred.

Mann said the transfers were made after he realised that drug peddlers had a nexus with the police.

Bajwa said, on the other hand, in an interview with a newspaper on Thursday, DGP Gaurav Yadav defended the 10,000 police personnel, who were recently transferred by the Chief Minister, who also holds the Home portfolio.

"The DGP said these transfers were part of the state policy formed in 2020. Chief Minister Mann directly accused the 10,000 police personnel of developing a nexus with drug peddlers. However, DGP Yadav seems to have been in damage-control mode and defending the cops. Consequently, the people of Punjab have been left in a perplexed situation," Bajwa said.

The Qadian legislator said that "accusing" such a large number of police personnel was a "big statement" by the Chief Minister. "Now the onus is on the Chief Minister. He must explain whether he still stands by his statement. This government has terribly failed to curb the growing drug abuse in Punjab. It has no strategy at all to deal with the drug peddlers and now it is playing blame games,” Bajwa added.