The BJP, which is in power at the centre, launched a full-fledged attack on Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP shortly after Tajinder Pal Bagga was arrested in Delhi by the Punjab Police. The BJP leader’s tweets poured out on the social media website, from sharing videos and photos of the incident to alleging that Bagga’s father was assaulted. A group of BJP members gathered outside a police station to protest the Punjab police’s actions.

Tejasvi Surya, a BJP MP who protested outside Arvind Kejriwal’s home last month over his comments on the film ‘The Kashmir Files,’ tweeted on Friday: “Have spoken with @TajinderBagga’s mother.” In this hour of oppression, I assure her that the entire organisation is with them. BJYM will do everything possible to return Bagga to safety and liberty.

“Arvind Kejriwal’s brazen use of Punjab police to harass political opponents is unsurprising. This had been driving him insane. This, however, will not go over well. “We will fight to protect every single one of our karyakartas and make sure that Kejriwal learns the hard way how to handle power… (sic),” BJP social media head Amit Malviya wrote.

Manjinder Singh Sirsa, who recently switched from the Akali Dal to the BJP, tweeted in Hindi, tagging Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann: “In Punjab, goons and mafia are killing openly, youth are dying due to drugs, and the Punjab Police is being used for revenge politics in Delhi.” Don’t make fun of Sikhs like this @BhagwantMann ji #iStandWithTajinderBagga.”

The Punjab Police said Bagga was arrested because he refused to cooperate with the investigation into a case filed against him in the state, according to news agency ANI. “The accused was served with five summonses to appear and participate in the investigation. The notices were properly delivered. Despite this, the accused deliberately chose not to participate in the investigation. Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga was arrested from his home in Delhi this morning, as per the law.” Bagga is the Delhi BJP spokesperson and the national secretary of the BJP’s youth wing.

The 36-year-old leader was taken to Punjab, where he would appear in court, according to the state’s police. Punjab’s Aam Aadmi Party has formed a government.