Punjab Police on Saturday detained BJP leader and former Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu after he staged a protest outside Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) as chief minister Bhagwant Mann’s convoy was passing through.

Mann was visiting Ludhiana to release promotional material highlighting the AAP government’s achievements.

During the visit, Bittu stood near the university gate, holding a bottle of liquor toward the chief minister’s vehicle. Bittu said he was “returning the bottle” to Mann, telling him to enjoy his drink while letting AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal “loot Punjab from Delhi.”

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Bittu also displayed eggs and tomatoes, claiming they were the same items thrown at his convoy near Batala a day earlier during his journey to Madhopur in Pathankot for the BJP’s Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra launch.

Bittu alleged that AAP supporters attacked his convoy and damaged vehicles. The AAP has denied any involvement. Defending his action, Bittu said the BJP would retaliate against political disruption using democratic means: “Yesterday eggs and tomatoes were thrown at my cavalcade. Today I have returned them. If AAP workers protest against BJP leaders, rallies, and yatras, BJP workers will exercise their right to protest against the Punjab government and its leadership. We will not remain silent,” Bittu said.

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He added that the party would continue staging peaceful demonstrations outside the chief minister’s programmes and offices.

“This is a clear message to the Punjab government—political opposition cannot be silenced through police action,” Bittu said.

Bittu was later released shortly after the incident, while the chief minister’s scheduled programme at PAU proceeded without further interruption.

Tarsem Singh Deogan is the Bureau Head of Hindustan Times in Ludhiana, a position he has held since 2023. With over 26 years of experience in active journalism, he has built a reputation for in-depth and ground-level reporting. He extensively covers crime, courts, district administration and political affairs, keeping a close watch on developments that shape public life. When not reporting on news and current affairs, he enjoys exploring the hills on his superbike and pursuing wildlife photography.Read More