CHANDIGARH, MAY 20 — Hundreds of political leaders and grassroots workers from the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Congress party officially joined the Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday, citing the ruling government’s newly introduced anti-sacrilege legislation as the catalyst for their defection.
The mass induction, overseen by Rajbir Singh Ghuman, Officer on Special Duty to the Chief Minister, took place following the introduction of the Jagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Bill 2026. The new legislative measure, championed by the Bhagwant Mann-led administration, aims to prevent acts of desecration and establish severe legal penalties for violators.
“Previous administrations merely politicized the deeply sensitive issue of sacrilege while working behind the scenes to protect perpetrators,” a group of transitioning leaders affirmed in a joint statement. “By drafting and executing this rigorous law, the government under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has demonstrated its genuine reverence for Guru Sahib.”
The incoming members declared that the stringent legal framework will effectively deter anti-social elements from executing acts of sacrilege, thereby safeguarding the religious harmony and societal peace of Punjab.
Among the high-profile defectors are Kitu Grewal, former Punjab Congress Women President and Member of Women and Child Welfare, who previously served as the parliamentary election in-charge for Jammu and Kashmir, and Satpal Singh, the former chairman of PUNGRAIN.
Other notable figures joining the ruling party ranks include Punjab Congress General Secretary Kamaldeep Singh Rana Warka, Congress Malout Women Cell President Samandeep Kaur, and former Block Samiti Chairman Hardev Singh, who also led the B.C. Wing in Attari. The group further comprises Block Samiti Member Charanjeet Kaur, Rural General Secretary Gurmel Singh, former Congress General Secretary Jaskaran Singh Jathwal, alongside local leaders Vashan Singh, Jaskaran Singh Jathwal, and former Sarpanch Surjit Singh of Village Gurunanakpura, Beas.
Welcoming the new entrants into the party fold, Ghuman assured the assembled leaders and workers that their contributions would be highly valued.
“Every individual joining our ranks today will receive complete respect, institutional recognition, and a meaningful platform within the Aam Aadmi Party,” Ghuman stated during the welcoming ceremony.
