‘State-sponsored murder by AAP’: Sidhu Moose Wala’s death sparks political row in Punjab

The shocking killing of Congress leader and prominent singer Sidhu Moose Wala left Punjab stunned, with opposition parties hitting out at the Aam Aadmi Party government, terming his death as a “political killing” by AAP.

Singer Sidhu Moose Wala was gunned down in a village in the Mansa district of Punjab, where he was present without his security personnel. Notably, Moose Wala’s security had been removed by the AAP government just a day before his death.

Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring expressed his shock and anger over the killing of the Congress leader, terming it as a “political killing conceived under a proper conspiracy”, taking a jibe at the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government.

“I feel shocked and devastated beyond belief and expression over the loss of my colleague and a promising star in the party”, Warring said in a statement, while holding Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann wholly and solely responsible for his murder.

Further, the state Congress president said it was just two days ago that Moosewala’s security had been withdrawn by the Punjab government, without assessing his threat perception, alleging that there was a “deep-rooted conspiracy” behind his death.

Not just the Congress party, but the BJP also hit out at Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal over the killing of the Punjabi singer. BJP termed the incident as a “state-sponsored” murder, holding the Punjab government responsible for his demise.

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla wrote on Twitter, “Today, a young Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala was gunned down in state-sponsored murder. The AAP government is totally responsible for this.” He further said that the singer’s security cover was withdrawn “without any logic”.

Both the parties demanded that Bhagwant Mann should step down from his post of Chief Minister after the “state-sponsored” murder of the 28-year-old singer.

Though the opposition in Punjab is deeming it the responsibility of the state government, the state police have said that Moose Wala’s death was the result of an inter-gang rivalry, involving notorious gangsters Goldy Brar and Lawrence Bishnoi.

Sidhu Moose Wala was shot dead by unidentified persons when he was travelling to Jawahar Ke Village in Mansa along with his cousin and friend. It has been reported that bullets were hailed on his car by three separate weapons, killing Sidhu instantly and injuring his companions. 

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