Mann govt took stringent steps to maintain law & order in Punjab: Kejriwal

After week after crackdown on Khalistani sympathiser Amritpal Singh, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said the AAP government in Punjab had to adopt stringent measures to ensure law and order in the state.

Kejriwal and Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann were in Jalandhar to lay the foundation stone of Guru Ravidas Research Centre at Dera Sachkhand Ballan, 18km from district headquarters.

Though Kejriwal referred to the recent Punjab Police crackdown against Waris Punjab De organisation, but refrained from taking Amritpal’s name.

“Maintaining law and order in Punjab is top priority of the AAP government. For this, the government needs to take certain strict measures,” Kejriwal said.

The AAP supremo added: “The government cannot allow anyone to take law into their hands. In recent days, the AAP government in Punjab had to take some stringent decisions to maintain peace and harmony and it was successful in its attempt without any violence and bloodshed.”

“Those who are trying to disturb peace are running away. We will not spare them too as such stern decisions could be taken in future too,” the Delhi CM said.

Amritpal and his aide Papalpreet are on run after police crackdown on March 18.

Kejriwal said when AAP came to power in Punjab, gangsters and criminals were calling the shots. “Gangsters had their political godfathers and had well-connected setup in the state due which there was no action against them. After coming to power, we have put a number of gangsters behind bars,” Kejriwal said.