Chandigarh, June 30, 2025 — The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Monday launched a sharp attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab, accusing it of political vendetta, corruption, and betrayal of public trust. The criticism emerged during the first meeting of the newly reconstituted SAD core committee, chaired by party president Sukhbir Singh Badal.
The committee announced the start of a people’s campaign aimed at exposing alleged land scams and governance failures by the AAP government. It resolved to fight on key public issues, including what it described as the forcible acquisition of fertile farmland and protection given to corrupt leaders within the ruling party.
Senior SAD leader Gulzar Singh Ranike was appointed as the party’s Coordinator for the forthcoming Tarn Taran byelection. The committee also directed observers to expedite the election of district presidents and the formation of booth-level teams to strengthen grassroots mobilisation.
In line with directives from Sri Akal Takht Sahib, SAD announced a symbolic plantation drive targeting the planting of one lakh saplings in July, an initiative to be led by Sukhbir Singh Badal.
“Emergency-Like Conditions in Punjab”
Speaking to the media after the meeting, senior SAD leader Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema alleged that Punjab was facing “emergency-like conditions” under the remote control of AAP’s Delhi leadership, particularly Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. He claimed that opposition voices were being suppressed and cited the case against senior SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia, asserting it was politically motivated.
Dr. Cheema predicted that the disproportionate assets case against Majithia would collapse just as the earlier NDPS case did, which SAD has always maintained was driven by political vendetta. “We will continue to expose the AAP government which has failed to fulfil its promises. Law and order is at an all-time low, with gangsters and drug mafias running rampant. Governance has been outsourced to outsiders in top administrative roles,” he alleged.
Allegations of Land Acquisition and Corruption
The SAD core committee strongly condemned the AAP government’s alleged plan to forcibly acquire 24,000 acres of land in Ludhiana and hundreds of acres elsewhere in Punjab. Dr. Cheema warned that such actions would displace thousands of farmers and farm labourers, labelling the move an “open loot of Punjab’s land.” He pledged that SAD would not allow the plan to proceed.
The committee further accused the AAP government of double standards on corruption, citing the case of former minister Dr. Vijay Singla. It questioned why Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who claimed to possess evidence of wrongdoing, has not pursued prosecution or placed the evidence on record.
Support for Diljit Dosanjh
In another significant stand, the SAD core committee expressed strong support for actor and singer Diljit Dosanjh, who is facing criticism over the controversy surrounding the film Sardaar Ji 3. The party condemned what it described as the “politics of hate,” urging an end to the targeting of cultural icons and calling for society to stand united against unjust persecution.
Concluding its session, the SAD core committee resolved to intensify its efforts on ground-level issues affecting the people of Punjab and to hold the ruling AAP government accountable for its actions and alleged failures.
