Ajayvir Lalpura slams state govt for ‘iIllegal Mining’ in Punjab
Bahadurjeet Singh/Rupnagar,February 15,2025
BJP Rupnagar District President Ajayvir Singh Lalpura targeted the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government over the issue of alleged illegal mining in Punjab.
While talking to media persons here today he stated that in 2022, illegal mining was one of Punjab’s biggest problems, which led the people to give AAP a chance to govern. During the election campaign, AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal had claimed that he would introduce a robust mining policy and generate Rs 20,000 crore in revenue. However, three years have passed, and no policy has been implemented. Instead, illegal mining has increased even more.
Lalpura mentioned that he passed through Agampur Bridge last night, where illegal mining was at its peak. Hundreds of overloaded tippers without number plates were crossing the bridge. The bridge was shaking and had deteriorated significantly. He further noted that there was a police check post near the bridge, yet no effort was made to stop any vehicle. This clearly indicates that illegal mining is being carried out openly with the collusion of the administration and police.
He held Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann fully responsible for the alleged illegal activity, stating that such large-scale unlawful operations cannot occur without his approval. “Without the Chief Minister’s backing, the police would have taken action, overloaded trucks would have been fined, and vehicles without number plates would not be running on the roads”,he alleged.
Lalpura alleged that since AAP came to power in Punjab, the state has been taking loans averaging Rs 31,000 crore annually, yet the promised Rs 20,000 crore revenue from mining remains unaccounted for. He questioned where this money is going and accused the AAP government of looting Punjab to fund election campaigns in other states and fulfill Kejriwal’s political ambitions.
He further claimed that local MLAs and even the Chief Minister are involved in illegal mining because such blatant activities cannot continue without the government’s approval. He announced plans to approach the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the Governor of Punjab, and other relevant authorities regarding this matter.
Ajayvir Lalpura slams state govt for ‘iIllegal Mining’ in Punjab. Lalpura also challenged the local administration, asking how many cases had been registered after he shared a live video of illegal mining on social media. He demanded to know how many overloaded tippers had been fined and how many unregistered vehicles had been seized.
The press conference was attended by Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) State Vice President Sukhbir Singh Tambar, Krishna Kumar Atri, and Surinderpal Sethi. They all unanimously declared that the BJP would strongly raise this issue and fight to free Punjab from illegal mining mafias.
