Says, No Data Collection by Individuals, Including BJP Members, Allowed in Punjab
Accuses BJP of Planning to Manipulate Voter Lists, Steal Money via Data Collection Camps
Challenges Punjab BJP to Push Centre for Release of Pending Funds and GST Compensation of Rs 60,000 Crore
Chandigarh, August 22
Affirming the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab government’s commitment to protecting the personal data of its citizens under ‘the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023’, Punjab Finance Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema on Friday said that no individual, including members of the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), will be allowed to collect personal data from the public under any pretext. Finance Minister Cheema also questioned whether the BJP would take responsibility for any fraud that might occur as a result of their party members collecting data through camps.
Addressing a press conference here at Punjab Bhawan, the Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema accused the BJP of becoming a “vote thief party” since forming the government at the Center in 2014, citing numerous incidents of electoral manipulation from the Chandigarh mayoral election to voter irregularities in the Bihar elections. The Finance Minister alleged that the BJP’s data collection camps in Punjab are a ploy to manipulate voter lists and potentially steal money from the bank accounts of unsuspecting citizens.
Finance Minister Cheema emphasized that the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 was enacted to safeguard citizens’ data, ensuring that no private individual can collect personal information without the permission of the competent authority. He highlighted that the BJP’s collection of vital documents like Aadhaar and voter cards during these camps is illegal and could lead to serious consequences.
The Finance Minister reiterated that the BJP’s attempts to undermine democracy and tamper with the Constitution of India, drafted by Baba Saheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, are well known. He pointed to previous instances of voter list manipulation in the Delhi Assembly elections, which were repeatedly brought to the attention of the Election Commission by AAP Convener Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, and were also raised by AAP Members of Parliament in the Indian Parliament.
Finance Minister Cheema assured the public that the Punjab government is dedicated to delivering the benefits of all government schemes to its people. He noted that nearly 500 citizen services are being provided at people’s doorsteps, and the extensive network of Sewa Kendras across the state continues to assist people in accessing citizen centric services.
In a direct message to Punjab’s BJP leaders, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema challenged them to work towards a greater good by urging the Central government to release the more than Rs 50,000 crore in GST compensation, Rs 8,000 crore in Rural Development Funds, and Rs 1,000 crore for the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana that are due to Punjab. He concluded by saying that the people of Punjab, who valiantly fought and won against the three controversial farm laws, are well aware of the BJP’s tactics.
