Kaler Slams AAP Over SIR, Alliance Call Lies With Sukhbir Badal
Chandigarh, October 24: The Shiromani Akali Dal has intensified preparations for its manifesto ahead of the 2027 Punjab assembly elections. Party spokesperson Arshdeep Singh Kaler said the manifesto committee is consulting people from different sections of society and taking their views into account.
Lawyers and government employees are among the groups being met. Kaler said the party is keen to hear what these groups expect and what changes they want to see.
The manifesto will reflect the aspirations of Punjabis, Kaler said, adding that the Akali Dal's politics is rooted in the issues of the state. Bhunder, the senior leader who heads the manifesto committee, is leading ongoing talks with various sections of society.
Kaler described Punjab as facing economic challenges and law and order problems. He said industries are leaving the state, which makes it essential to understand people's real problems while drafting the manifesto.
On lawyers, Kaler said the meeting would discuss their problems and the work that could be done for them if an Akali Dal government is formed. For government employees, he said the delay in paying dearness allowance remains a major issue, forcing staff to stage dharnas to press for their demands.
Kaler reserved his sharpest criticism for the government's handling of the death of Parminder Jhota, an activist who spoke out against drugs. He demanded that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann resign on moral grounds. He said Jhota's father had come forward publicly to allege pressure on the family.
He questioned how the government could claim to be fighting drugs while people who oppose the drug trade are left unprotected. Kaler said Jhota had raised his voice against Ashwani in 2023 and that multiple cases were registered against him later. He alleged that those involved in the drug business are receiving protection.
Kaler also cited other cases in which police action and alleged misconduct were directed at people who raised the drug problem. He recalled a father who had voiced concern over his son's addiction and the family's financial hardship. He said there was a difference between the government's anti-drug claims and the situation on the ground, and that court observations on the issue raised serious questions. These allegations, he clarified, are his own.
On the SIR issue, Kaler accused the Aam Aadmi Party of double standards. He said AAP representatives had attended SIR meetings without recording any opposition at the time. He praised the Punjab Chief Electoral Officer for running the process transparently.
Kaler asked why the AAP was now seeking an assembly resolution and doing politics over the issue after raising no objections in the meetings. He alleged that SIR was being highlighted to distract from questions about Parminder Jhota's death and public sentiment.
Asked about an alliance for the 2027 election, Kaler said the party is still deliberating its strategy. Whether to ally or contest alone will depend on powers given to party president Sukhbir Singh Badal and discussions within the core committee. The party may consider options including contesting with a regional or national party or going solo. Discussing seat sharing now, he said, would be premature.