Chandigarh, July 11 -- Punjab finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Thursday accused the BJP of patronising gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who has been lodged in Sabarmati Jail of Ahmedabad since 2014, triggering a sharp reaction from the saffron party's Punjab unit chief Sunil Jakhar who hit out at the AAP government over the interview of the jailed gangster, conducted by a private news channel, in Punjab police custody. Cheema allegations come amid the backdrop of increased gangster activity in the state which has led to four incidents in the past two weeks with the Opposition targeting the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government over the "deteriorating law-and-order situation." The minister alleged that the gangster has been targeting Punjab while sitting in Gujarat jail. "The recent murder of a businessman in Abohar on July 7 was carried out by Bishnoi, who is in Gujarat jail. It is sad that he is targeting Punjab sitting in Gujarat," Cheema told mediapersons after the adjournment of the first sitting of the two-day special session of the Punjab assembly. Earlier this week, Dr Aniljit Kamboj, father of actor Tania, was shot inside his clinic in Moga, while on June 27, jailed gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria's mother Harjit Kaur and his cousin were shot dead in Batala. "The BJP is protecting gangsters, and he (Bishnoi) is lodged in a jail in Gujarat, the state from which Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union home minister Amit Shah come. Why does the BJP protect him? The gangster is executing targeted killings in non-BJP-ruled states. Why is he not sent to other states, where he has murdered people? We will now try to bring him to Punjab on a production warrant," the AAP leader said. Bishnoi is the alleged mastermind behind the killing of popular Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala in 2022 and his name also cropped up in last year's killing of NCP leader Baba Siddique in Mumbai. The gangster has also been issuing threats to actor Salman Khan. Commenting on the murder of a businessman in Abohar and the delay in arresting the three assailants, Cheema said: "We will not allow anyone to vitiate the law and order situation. We will deal with anti-social elements with an iron fist." "Bishnoi takes responsibility for every murder sitting inside jail. What does this mean and why is he kept in Gujarat jail?" he said, demanding a reply from the Centre. Cheema also blamed the Congress for sheltering gangsters like Mukhtar Ansari while it was in power. The notorious gangster from Uttar Pradesh was brought to a jail in Punjab and given VIP facilities, Cheema said. Police records show the support of Shiromani Akali Dal leaders to anti-social elements, Cheema claimed, describing the opposition party as "the root cause of the drug mafia in Punjab". "The opposition parties have patronised gangsters and the AAP government is cleaning the rot," he added. Hitting back at Cheema, Jakhar questioned the silence of AAP leaders on the interview of the gangster conducted while he was in Punjab Police custody. "Why are the AAP leaders silent on who facilitated gangster Lawrence Bishnoi's interviews when he was in the custody of Punjab Police? Who asked the police to conceal the truth till Punjab and Haryana high court intervened," Jakhar said. The Punjab BJP chief further said: "I would say Punjab DGP should thank the high court for taking a lenient view even after he said interviews were not conducted in state jails. How was BJP and Gujarat government involved in the matter?" he said. On the killing of the Abohar businessman, Jakhar said this government's credibility has touched a new low. "The deceased's elder brother not even once expressed hope of justice from the state government. He asked me to talk to the Prime Minister and home minister regarding the killing, but he, not even once, asked me to talk to chief minister Bhagwant Mann or the Punjab DGP. This is the kind of credibility this government shares among common masses at present," said Jakhar....