Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Friday, 6 November launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of 'weaponising central agencies' — including the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Income Tax Department, and the Election Commission — to intimidate opposition leaders. The remarks came in the wake of nearly 48-hour-long ED raids at multiple locations linked to Moga legislator and AAP Women Wing President Amandeep Kaur Arora.

The ED Raids: What Happened

According to Cheema, the ED conducted searches spanning nearly 42 to 48 hours across locations connected to Amandeep Kaur Arora, including her residence, office, hospital, and the homes of her parents, brother, and relatives. Despite the extensive operation, Cheema alleged the agency 'returned empty-handed without recovering even a penny or a single incriminating document.' He described the prolonged raids as amounting to 'harassment' and a violation of basic human rights of an elected representative and her family.

Amandeep Kaur herself confirmed the scope of the searches. 'The ED conducted raids at multiple locations connected to me and my family. Officials continued their searches and questioning for nearly 42–48 hours, but ultimately returned without recovering a single document or a penny,' she said.

AAP's Allegations Against BJP

'The BJP has developed a pattern of misusing central agencies whenever elections approach in a state. The ED, CBI, the Income Tax Department and even the Election Commission are being used to intimidate opposition leaders, create allegations and build media narratives to malign political parties. The objective is to weaken democratically elected governments and undermine the democratic process,' Cheema stated.

Cheema also alleged that the BJP is attempting to 'engineer defections' by offering AAP legislators ministerial positions and Rajya Sabha membership. He claimed Punjab's leaders had refused such inducements. 'Our leaders are committed to serving the people and cannot be bought through positions or inducements,' he said.

Amandeep Kaur Reaffirms Loyalty to AAP

Amandeep Kaur, the Moga MLA and AAP's state Women Wing President, used the occasion to reaffirm her loyalty to AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann. She declared that no amount of raids, intimidation, or political pressure could silence her or the party's women leaders.

'Despite making tall claims about women's empowerment and protection, the BJP is targeting women politicians who are working effectively and raising public issues,' she said, adding that the central agencies were being used to frighten opposition leaders into joining the BJP — particularly with Punjab Assembly elections approaching.

BJP's Position and the Broader Pattern

The BJP has not formally responded to these specific allegations as of this report. Critics argue that the opposition's framing of agency action as politically motivated is itself a standard counter-narrative employed ahead of state elections. Notably, AAP and the BJP have engaged in a prolonged institutional battle across multiple states, with similar accusations surfacing before elections in Delhi, Gujarat, and Himachal Pradesh in recent years.

Cheema, in his capacity as Punjab's Finance Minister, warned that the people of the state would deliver a 'fitting response' to every attempt to destabilise the opposition and undermine the electorate's mandate.

What Comes Next

With the Punjab Assembly not due for elections until 2027, AAP's decision to go public aggressively with these allegations signals an early escalation in the political contest. The ED's findings — or the absence of them — are likely to remain a flashpoint in the state's political discourse in the weeks ahead.