Ludhiana-Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab on Wednesday strongly countered BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa’s baseless accusations against the Punjab government. AAP leaders Malvinder Kang and Neel Garg exposed Sirsa’s questionable past and the rapid deterioration of governance in Delhi under the BJP’s watch, labeling Sirsa as unfit to preach to Punjabis.
Malvinder Kang minced no words in pointing out Sirsa’s role as the OSD to Sukhbir Singh Badal during the decade-long SAD-BJP rule in Punjab. "Everyone knows what that era was about—corruption, the proliferation of drugs, and a complete collapse of governance. Sirsa was not just a bystander; he was a part of that rotten system, " Kang said. He also highlighted Sirsa's alleged misappropriation of nearly ₹1 crore of Gurdwara funds, which led to an FIR filed by Delhi Police’s Economic Offences Wing in 2021. "When the law started catching up, Sirsa didn’t turn to BJP out of ideology; he joined them to save himself from jail, " Kang asserted.
Neel Garg criticized Manjinder Singh Sirsa’s role as a Cabinet Minister in Delhi, highlighting the glaring failures of the BJP government in just a few months. He pointed to the severe water crisis brought about by the resurgence of the tanker mafia, daily power cuts reminiscent of an era when inverters were essential, and skyrocketing private school fees that have become an unbearable burden for parents. Garg also underlined the closure of Mohalla Clinics due to staff shortages, the removal of bus marshalls that has compromised women’s safety, and the delayed pensions leaving widows and senior citizens in distress. "These failures reflect the BJP’s inability to govern and their dismantling of the systems AAP had painstakingly built to serve the people, " Garg stated.
"The BJP has dismantled everything AAP built in Delhi. The people of Delhi are already regretting their decision and are openly saying, ‘We made a mistake, we want AAP back, ’” Garg added.
AAP leaders reminded Sirsa of his hypocrisy in criticizing Punjab's AAP government while turning a blind eye to his own misdeeds and the BJP’s failures. Garg further questioned Sirsa’s connection to Punjab, calling him an opportunist from Haryana meddling in Punjab’s politics. "When Sirsa was OSD to Sukhbir Badal, he enjoyed Punjab's resources and salaries. Now, he points fingers at the same state he exploited, ” Garg said.
The AAP leaders reaffirmed the Punjab government’s commitment to transforming the state. "Unlike Sirsa and the BJP, we have worked tirelessly to bring change—revamping schools, providing free medicines in hospitals, giving jobs without bribes or recommendations, and taking a tough stand against drug mafias, " said Garg. He also highlighted AAP’s fight to protect Punjab’s water rights from Haryana and the BJP-led central government.
AAP Punjab spokesperson Neel Garg strongly defended the state government's land pooling policy, dismissing the baseless allegations made by Manjinder Singh Sirsa. Garg emphasized that the policy is a game-changer for farmers, ensuring their consent and offering fair compensation along with a stake in future profits. Unlike past practices where land mafias and builders exploited farmers by purchasing land cheaply and selling it at exorbitant prices, the AAP government’s policy prioritizes farmers' rights and interests. Garg highlighted that this policy is receiving widespread appreciation as it empowers farmers and enables them to benefit from urban development.
Garg concluded, "Manjinder Sirsa is the embodiment of everything wrong with Punjab’s past under SAD-BJP rule and Delhi’s present under BJP rule. He should first answer for his role in Punjab’s drugs and gangsterism problems and BJP’s failures in Delhi before making noise in Ludhiana."