CHANDIGARH — Aam Aadmi Party Punjab Media In-charge Baltej Pannu characterized the Shiromani Akali Dal’s recent ‘Punjab Bachao’ campaign as an attempt to mislead the public, asserting that voters remember the party’s historical record and previous policy stances.
Addressing a press conference in Chandigarh on Tuesday, the AAP Punjab Media In-charge stated that the Akali leadership cannot disown its past governance between 2007 and 2017. He pointed to issues such as drug proliferation and the rise of various mafias during that decade, arguing that the leadership must address its track record before launching new political initiatives.
“From 2007 to 2017, when the Akali-BJP government ruled Punjab, the state witnessed the spread of chitta, the rise of gangsters and the growth of transport, cable and sand mafias,” stated AAP Punjab Media In-charge Baltej Pannu. “The same leaders who are now claiming to save Punjab presided over the state during that period. Punjabis have every right to question their record.”
The spokesperson focused heavily on the contentious central farm laws, noting that senior Akali figures initially endorsed the legislation before reversing their position under public pressure. He argued that the party’s shift occurred only after farmers demonstrated strong opposition to measures that threatened agricultural marketing boards and rural infrastructure.
Turning to sensitive religious and historical matters, Baltej Pannu recalled the 2015 sacrilege incidents and the subsequent police firing at Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan. He maintained that these events remain deeply painful for the Sikh community and urged the Akali leadership to provide clear accountability regarding past decisions and statements made before religious authorities.
The media in-charge further questioned the opposition on recent events surrounding SGPC-managed institutions and the treatment of Sikh issues, asserting that inconsistency has eroded public trust in the party’s platform.
