No uniform advisory for Punjab Police? Force debunks claims after Opposition furore

A political row broke out in Punjab on Tuesday after Opposition leaders claimed that police personnel had been told, in a purported advisory, not to wear their uniform while travelling to or from duty. The Punjab Police rejected the claim, saying no such advisory had been issued and that the message circulating online was fake.

The ruling Aam Aadmi Party accused rival parties of trying to defame the state police by sharing the claim and an unverified audio clip. Opposition leaders, however, said the issue reflected serious security concerns for police personnel and stepped up their attack on the Bhagwant Mann government over law and order.

Opposition leaders shared an unverified audio clip in which a woman is heard asking police personnel to wear civil dress when coming to a police station. The clip also refers to the recent killing of Assistant Sub-Inspector Harjit Singh in Amritsar. They further claimed that, under the purported advisory, a badge, identity card or any other item that could reveal a person's police identity should not be displayed in public.

Officials said no such advisory had been issued either by the Punjab Police headquarters or any other office of the state police.

In a post on X, the Punjab Police said such messages circulating on social media were fake and should be ignored. They also advised citizens and police personnel to rely only on official channels for authentic information.

Reacting to the claim shared by opposition leaders on social media, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said, "The BJP, the Akali Dal and the Congress are lying. These parties today have no agenda. Every time, they float a false agenda and share it with the media to spread it."

He asked opposition leaders to delete the "false" information from their social media handles and stop trying to "defame the Punjab Police". Asked about possible action, he said the matter was under investigation and steps would be taken against whoever was found guilty.

AAP leader Baltej Pannu also questioned Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia for circulating the audio clip without verifying its authenticity or facts.

Earlier, several Opposition leaders criticised the AAP government over the alleged advisory and demanded Chief Minister Mann's resignation.

In a post on X, Majithia alleged, "Punjab Police, once known for eliminating terrorism and maintaining law and order, has allegedly been rendered helpless under Bhagwant Mann's leadership."

He said officers had been asked to wear their uniforms only after reaching police stations, while viral audio clips claimed that police were helpless before gangsters. "Fear prevails among Punjabis over the deteriorating law and order situation. If Bhagwant Mann cannot handle Punjab, he should resign," he said.

Warring said the alleged advisory had vindicated the Congress's concerns that even police personnel were not safe in Punjab. Responding to the government's denial, he said the issue was not merely about the authenticity of the document but about the security concerns being faced by the police force.

"While I do not believe that the advisory note is fake as claimed by the government, the issue is not about the genuineness of the document, but the harsh facts concerning the security of the policemen," he said, adding that police personnel were being targeted and killed without any fear of law in Punjab.

Referring to the recent killing of the ASI in Amritsar, Warring said the incident was proof of the security challenges facing the force. "The government should accept one thing: the situation in Punjab is bad," he said, holding the AAP government responsible for the "collapse" of law and order in the state.