New Delhi, 28 October (H.S.): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday criticised Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over the death of Daljit Singh and the alleged mistreatment of his body, raising serious questions about the state government’s handling of the incident. The party alleged that the Mann government had failed to treat Daljit Singh with dignity during his lifetime and had shown little sensitivity even after his death.

Addressing a press conference here, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said Daljit Singh’s family had attributed his death to drug addiction. He also questioned the conduct of the Punjab Police, alleging that officers acting on the directions of Chief Minister Mann appeared to have forcibly taken Daljit Singh’s body away from his family and dragged it along the road.

Bhatia questioned the state government’s role in the incident and raised concerns over the alleged disrespect shown to the deceased and his family. He also invoked the significance of the turban, an important symbol of Punjab’s cultural and social identity, alleging that it had been disrespected during the episode.

Taking aim at Mann’s leadership, the BJP spokesperson described the Chief Minister as irresponsible and alleged that he was evading his responsibilities. Bhatia said the people of Punjab would consider whether to elect such a Chief Minister again and would express their views through their democratic rights.

The controversy arose when the family of 35-year-old farmer Daljit Singh was protesting with his body. During the protest, the Punjab Police allegedly took the body away against the family’s wishes.

The family has claimed that Daljit Singh died of a drug overdose and that he had struggled with drug addiction for 10 years. The Punjab Police, however, has rejected the drug overdose claim.

According to the police, four people travelling in a car had dumped the body by the roadside, leading investigators to treat the case as a suspected murder.

A member of Daljit Singh’s family, meanwhile, alleged that the police were now attempting to portray the case as a murder.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar