Punjab News Daily

Chandigarh , April 26

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday unleashed a wave of massive, coordinated protests across every district of Punjab against the Rajya Sabha MPs who defected to the BJP, with streets echoing slogans of ‘Punjab de Gaddar’ and walls marked with ‘Gaddar’ written in public anger against an unforgivable betrayal of the Punjab’s mandate.

From district headquarters to industrial hubs, including a pointed protest outside the Trident Group against Rajinder Gupta, AAP leaders and karyakartas, joined by large numbers of citizens, staged fierce demonstrations, burnt tyres, and openly condemned those who, they said, had trampled upon the trust of Punjabis for political gain.

Calling the defections a grave betrayal of Punjab’s soil and self-respect, AAP demanded immediate cancellation of the MPs’ Rajya Sabha membership, asserting that those who have sided with the BJP under pressure and opportunism will neither be forgiven nor accepted by the people of Punjab.

Punjab Cabinet Minister Harbhajan Singh strongly condemned the defectors and said, “The Rajya Sabha is meant to represent the voice of the state in Parliament. These members were sent to raise Punjab’s issues, but instead of fulfilling their responsibility, they aligned with the BJP. This is a shameful act and a betrayal of three crore Punjabis.” He added, “The BJP used intimidation tactics, including threats of ED and CBI action, to coerce leaders into joining the party under Operation Lotus.”

Minister Lal Chand Kataruchakk also criticised the move and said, “These MPs were elected with the support of AAP MLAs to represent Punjab’s interests. Instead of raising Punjab’s voice, they have stabbed the state and the party in the back. BJP’s continuous attempts to destabilize opposition governments through such tactics are well known.”

During the protest in Lehragaga Cabinet Minister Barinder Goyal stated, “Wheeling and dealing politics has been BJP’s history. Punjab’s politics has not been affected by these people leaving, but rather their faces have come before the people. Whoever went to BJP later regretted it. We stand with the Aam Aadmi Party’s ideology like a rock.”