The fight between Punjab's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and opposition Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) intensified on Friday after AAP accused the Akali Dal of quietly abandoning its much-publicised "Dharam Yudh Morcha" which was scheduled to begin on July 19.
AAP Punjab media in-charge Baltej Pannu asked why the Akali Dal had not announced any programme, route map or preparations just days before the proposed agitation. He said that the party’s silence showed that it had backed away from its own announcement.
The Dharam Yudh Morcha was announced by SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal almost a month ago as the party’s political presence after a series of electoral defeats.
AAP Questions Lack of Preparations
Baltej Pannu said if the Shiromani Akali Dal was genuinely committed to launching the agitation on July 19, it should have already made public details about the schedule, leadership and strategy.
He also pointed out that Sukhbir Singh Badal had earlier announced that party leaders would begin the movement after paying obeisance at the Akal Takht on July 19. But with only a couple of days left before the proposed launch, no official programme or roadmap had been released.
Pannu said the issue was not even discussed during the Akali Dal's recent core committee meeting, which, according to him, suggests that the party has quietly shelved the agitation.
The announcement was never intended to become a serious public movement. It was just an attempt to provoke political confrontation with the Bhagwant Mann government," Pannu said.
Fresh Attack Over Akali Dal's Record
The AAP leader also took aim at Akali Dal’s governance record during the tenure in power between 2007 and 2017 at a press conference.
He accused the previous SAD-BJP government of not doing enough to curb Punjab's drug menace and said the administration allowed the problem to become worse during the course of its rule.
Pannu also referred to the 2015 sacrilege cases, stating that there were several important incidents such as the theft of a saroop of the Guru Granth Sahib, the subsequent sacrilege incidents, the police firing at Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura and the alleged destruction of evidence while the Akali Dal government was in power.
He also claimed that several senior Akali leaders, including former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, later obtained bail after chargesheets were filed in connection with the cases.
Questions Raised Over Leadership
Pannu claimed that observations by a Faridkot court had raised questions regarding the conduct of SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal during the sacrilege controversy.
He also accused previous Akali governments of acting against the family of noted human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra instead of ensuring justice.
According to Pannu, the Badal family was more concerned with protecting political and personal interests than the people in Punjab.
Political Tensions Ahead of July 19
At this time when the Shiromani Akali Dal is trying to regroup its political support base after major setbacks in recent elections. The Dharam Yudh Morcha was proposed as a major political tool to get people to support the government on different issues in Punjab.
But AAP has now questioned whether the agitation will proceed as announced, as it has not been official preparations of any kind, and they say that it shows no seriousness.
The Shiromani Akali Dal has not yet issued a detailed response to AAP's allegations or whether the Dharam Yudh Morcha will begin on July 19 as originally announced.
With political temperatures rising in Punjab, all eyes will now be on Akali Dal’s next move and whether it will carry on with the planned agitation or present a new strategy in the coming days.
