“This disruption is being justified on two pretexts: firstly, that prior permission from the Deputy Commissioner/SOM is required, and secondly, that parties are allegedly collecting personal data of the inhabitants,’’ it added.It further read: “It is respectfully submitted that no such permission is mandated under any law for awareness programmes of this nature, and the allegation regarding data collection is false, baseless, and politically motivated. Further, the volunteers and workers engaged in these camps hold valid Common Service Centre (CSC) IDs. Hence, there is no illegality in the conduct of such programmes. The underlying reason for such obstruction appears to be political vendetta and fear of the rising popularity of the BJP in Punjab. Instead of allowing welfare information to reach the poor, the marginalised, and the SC/ST communities, the ruling party is using state machinery to suppress legitimate and democratic activities of our workers.”“Instead of extending cooperation, the Punjab Government is victimising them and thereby depriving citizens of their rightful benefits,” the memorandum said.It added that the BJP had “most humbly and firmly” requested the Governor to direct the state government to desist from harassing BJP workers, volunteers, and local inhabitants who were voluntarily participating in awareness programmes. The party also urged that no obstruction be created in the organisation of such camps, which it said were meant for the welfare of the poor, farmers, and SC/ST communities.The memorandum further sought the Governor’s intervention to “safeguard the democratic rights of the people of Punjab, so that they can freely access information and avail benefits of Union Government welfare initiatives without fear or intimidation.”The state police today detained saffron party leaders from various camps that were being organised across Punjab. BJP leader Pritpal Sharma was detained from one such camp at Sukhna Ablu village in the Gidderbaha Assembly segment. His wife, a PCS officer, is currently posted in Fazilka district.Pritpal, in a live video on Facebook, said, “The camp was set up to facilitate poor people, but the state government has stooped so low that it is detaining people like me.”BJP leader and former Lok Sabha MP Sushil Rinku, along with two party workers, was also detained as he had gone to supervise arrangements for the camp at Khurdpur village of Adampur. Rinku went live on social media during the incident.In Shahkot area of Jalandhar, ex-MLA KD Bhandari was detained while he had gone to attend the camp at Roopewal Mandi.
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