CHANDIGARH: Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Partap Singh Bajwa, on Monday launched a sharp attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab government, accusing it of filling top positions in the Punjab Development Commission (PDC) with individuals from outside Punjab, many of whom are believed to be close to AAP’s Delhi leadership.
Bajwa alleged that the PDC was formed in September 2023 through a notification under the Punjab Infrastructure (Development and Regulation) Act, without even bringing a new Act before the Assembly for debate and approval. He criticised the government for bypassing legislative procedures and acting in a non-transparent manner.
In March 2024, the PDC advertised and appointed 8 Advisors at ₹2.65 lakh per month, 15 Joint Advisors at ₹2.20 lakh per month, and 15 Senior Research Officers at ₹1.25 lakh per month. Bajwa claimed that most of these officials were non-Punjabis and were hired on a contractual basis without adhering to the mandatory requirement of Punjabi language proficiency.
He pointed out that while Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is the Chairman of the PDC, the Vice Chairperson is a non-Punjabi, and three other members also belong to states outside Punjab. This, Bajwa said, is a direct insult to the youth and professionals of Punjab who are being ignored in their own state.
Bajwa further revealed that the AAP government has already spent ₹7.70 crore from the state exchequer on the PDC in the past year alone. He also alleged that NGOs working with the Commission are also based outside Punjab, raising serious concerns about the marginalisation of local talent and institutions.
Highlighting a deeper political issue, Bajwa accused the AAP of effectively allowing Arvind Kejriwal’s Delhi-based team to run a parallel government in Punjab. He said Bhagwant Mann has been reduced to a figurehead while Kejriwal acts as the “super CM, ” controlling key decisions and appointments in the state.
Bajwa demanded accountability from the state government and urged it to stop compromising Punjab’s autonomy and interests for the benefit of AAP’s national agenda.