Tension prevailed in Balachaur on Sunday after a protest by AAP workers against ED raids on party leader Sanjeev Arora escalated into a confrontation between AAP and BJP leaders and their supporters.
Banga MLA Dr Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi and BJP’s SBS Nagar district president Rajwinder Singh Lucky were engaged in heated exchanges, with the BJP alleging intimidation, vandalism and hooliganism by AAP workers. BJP leaders also alleged that MLA Sukhi attempted to snatch a mobile phone during the altercation. AAP, however, claimed that its leaders were called for a “compromise”, which turned contentious after BJP members began recording videos and levelling accusations.
The situation escalated when AAP leaders was staging a protest outside the BJP office in Balachaur. What began as a peaceful demonstration soon took a turn after an altercation broke out between workers of both parties outside the office. BJP later alleged that MLA Sukhi entered the party office and vandalised it.
Narrating the BJP’s version of events, Lucky claimed that he initially welcomed the protesting AAP workers by offering water and tea and made a light-hearted remark about the turnout. However, he alleged that AAP workers soon engaged in pushing and shoving outside the office and that a speaker was taken away.
“When I confronted them, Sukhi entered the office and an altercation followed. He tried to snatch a mobile phone and BJP workers were attacked without provocation,” Lucky alleged, also accusing AAP workers of vandalism.
Responding to the allegations, Sukhi said AAP workers were protesting peacefully about 20 feet away from the BJP office without flags or banners. He claimed BJP leaders invited him for talks but began making provocative announcements on a loudspeaker and hurling allegations.
“Later, I was called alone for a peaceful compromise, but as I tried to sit, videos were recorded. I objected and tried to stop the filming, after which the situation escalated and workers from both sides gathered,” he said.
Lucky added, “There is no question of compromise when there was no fight." The entire episode was captured on camera and videos went viral.
Reacting to the incident, Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar termed it an example of “AAP’s hooliganism” in a post on X, while Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu alleged that attacks on BJP workers were becoming increasingly frequent in Punjab.
Jakhar, in his post, accused the AAP MLA of entering the BJP office and assaulting party workers in the presence of the police and questioned the state government’s handling of law and order.
