Sukhbir Singh Badal, President of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), on Tuesday commended the Indian armed forces for successfully intercepting drone attacks from Pakistan, which he said spared Punjab from significant devastation.
Speaking to the media, Badal stated, “I had earlier congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian Army for resolutely thwarting drone intrusions. Their steadfast defence has prevented disaster, especially as Punjab has been a primary target of these attacks.”
Allegations Against AAP: A Multi-Crore Land Scam
Shifting focus to domestic matters, Badal launched a scathing attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), accusing it of orchestrating a massive land scam.
He claimed the state government was exploiting Change of Land Use (CLU) permissions to illegally extract funds from landowners, particularly in villages near urban centres.
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“At a time when the government is failing to provide even basic amenities, it has decided to acquire 24,311 acres of land near Ludhiana. As landowners would be unable to sell their property after the issuance of acquisition notices, the AAP has devised a scheme whereby exemptions are granted to those who pay ₹1 crore per acre into party coffers,” Badal alleged.
Furthermore, he asserted that the scam extends beyond Ludhiana.
“This illegal practice is underway in other cities as well, including Mohali, where the government has announced fresh acquisitions despite being unable to develop 6,000 acres previously acquired,” he said.
Unprecedented In Punjab’s History
Badal described the situation as unparalleled in Punjab’s history.
“Never before have we witnessed such blatant misuse of power. We will resist this daylight robbery at all costs. Land must not be acquired without the consent of farmers,” he vowed.
To escalate the opposition, the SAD leader announced that the party will stage a protest on 31 May outside the office of the Chief Administrator of the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA).
He also issued a stern warning to government officials, cautioning them against becoming complicit. “Strict action taken against any officer who follows illegal directives,” he warned.
Criticism Of Bhagwant Mann’s Leadership
Badal didn’t hold back in his critique of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann either.
He accused Mann of relinquishing control of the state administration to senior AAP figures from Delhi.
He said, “Chief Minister Mann has completely surrendered his authority, allowing Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain to govern Punjab by proxy. This has opened the door for Delhi’s AAP leadership to exploit Punjab’s resources.”
Appointments Under Scrutiny
Finally, Badal pointed to the recent appointments of external individuals aligned with AAP’s Delhi leadership to key positions such as the Punjab Pollution Control Board and the Punjab Large Investment Development Board. A
ccording to him, these appointments are part of a wider scheme to extort money from business interests in the state.
The SAD leader’s remarks underscore growing tensions between opposition parties and the AAP-led state government, particularly over governance, transparency, and land policy.
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