Silence speaks louder : AAP govt ’s silence deepens Bhullar corruption storm
Punjab CM faces backlash ; Opposition seeks probe into DIG Bhullar’s riches
Chandigarh, October 21 2025 (Bharat Khabarnama Bureau) : The arrest of Punjab Police DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar by the CBI taking Rs 8 lakh bribery has triggered an intense political backlash, with both the Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) demanding a judicial probe and accusing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of shielding deep-rooted graft within the system. Despite mounting pressure, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal have so far remained silent, drawing sharp criticism from the opposition.
In a hard hitting statement Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira said Bhullar’s arrest has shattered AAP’s “Kattar Imandaar” image, exposing the “massive rot” within Punjab’s police and bureaucracy. He alleged that the silence of CM Mann and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal amounts to “an admission of guilt,” adding that the Punjab Vigilance Bureau was being used to target opponents instead of catching real culprits. Khaira demanded a judicial inquiry into the money trail behind the scam.
Bhullar collecting money for AAP’s election campaigns : SAD
Echoing similar concerns, SAD spokesperson Parambans Singh Romana questioned whether Bhullar was collecting money for AAP’s election campaigns in other states, asking, “Where is the looted money of Punjab’s people going?” He said the Chief Minister’s silence shows “he has a lot to hide,” and alleged that Mann’s “zero-tolerance” claim on corruption has been exposed. Romana also criticised the state’s Vigilance and Intelligence departments for failing to act, saying, “If crores changed hands under his watch, was it with the government’s blessing?”
The opposition claims the CBI’s recovery of huge amounts of cash, gold, and luxury items from Bhullar’s properties proves that corruption is flourishing under AAP rule. However, apart from Bhullar’s suspension under service rules, the government has issued no detailed statement or clarification, fuelling speculation of a larger cover-up.
As the CBI digs deeper into the case, the political temperature in Punjab continues to rise. With the ruling party refusing to break its silence, the opposition appears determined to turn the Bhullar scandal into a symbol of what it calls “AAP’s crumbling integrity narrative.”
