Punjab AAP criticise ‘defaming campaign’ against CM Mann

Chandigarh, June 20 (IANS) The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab on Saturday staged protests across the state against the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), its president Sukhbir Singh Badal, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress over what it described as a coordinated campaign to defame Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann through a misleading fake video circulated on social media.

AAP ministers, MLAs, senior leaders, workers and residents took to the streets across Punjab, accusing Opposition parties of misusing religion, spreading false propaganda and hatching political conspiracies to mislead people and derail the state’s progress.

From Faridkot, Barnala and Mansa to Kapurthala, Moga and Badal village, protesters raised strong slogans against what they termed anti-Punjab and panth-opposing forces that have repeatedly sought to exploit religious sentiments and sow divisions for political gains.

They asserted that while the Opposition continues to pursue a politics of hatred, misinformation, and vested interests, CM Mann has won the trust of Punjabis through transparent governance, employment generation, quality education, welfare initiatives, and development-oriented politics.

Protesters said people have repeatedly rejected divisive politics and will not allow any conspiracy aimed at tarnishing the CM’s image or disturbing the state’s peace, harmony and progress to succeed.

Addressing a protest gathering in Mohali, Cabinet Minister Harpal Cheema said the AAP has organised symbolic protests across Punjab against the anti-Panth and anti-Punjab activities of the SAD and its repeated attempts to disturb peace and harmony in the state.

He said AAP workers have come out on the streets not only in Mohali but across Punjab to register their protest against such forces. According to him, the people of Punjab are fully aware of these conspiracies and will not allow those who have repeatedly harmed the state’s interests to succeed.

Highlighting the government’s achievements, Cheema said Punjab is witnessing unprecedented development under CM Mann’s leadership.

“Our government has provided nearly 44,000 government jobs to the youth of Punjab in a transparent manner. Sports grounds are being developed in villages across the state to channel young people’s energy in a positive direction. Construction and repair work of around 45,000 km of roads is underway. Children studying in government schools are receiving quality, world-class education, while every household is benefiting from 300 units of free electricity every month,” he said.

Cheema added that these historic development initiatives have left Opposition parties unnerved.

“Unable to digest the rapid progress taking place in Punjab, the SAD has now resorted to cheap politics. It has made a vile attempt to create and circulate a fabricated and fake video on social media to tarnish the clean image of our Chief Minister. This reflects the frustration of those political forces that have lost public support and are desperately trying to regain relevance through misinformation,” the Finance Minister said.

–IANS

vg/dan