Kapurthala: A Shiromani Akali Dal delegation has been touring various cities in Canada since June 11, meeting with NRI brothers and sisters residing there and apprising them of the party's policies. Dharminder Kumar Tony, State General Secretary of the Shiromani Akali Dal's Trade Wing, shared this information during a special interaction.
He stated that during the tour, the delegation is meeting NRIs and highlighting how the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government—which came to power in Punjab in 2022 on the strength of lies and false promises—has plunged the state into debt worth crores of rupees. During the elections, the Aam Aadmi Party and Arvind Kejriwal's team deceived the innocent people of Punjab by painting a false picture of change. Lured by the dream of a prosperous Punjab, the public voted for them blindly.
Upon assuming power, Bhagwant Mann became Chief Minister but effectively turned into a puppet of Delhi-based leaders. Tony remarked that the promises made to Punjab's youth during the elections are nowhere to be seen today; instead, the youth are being ruined by synthetic drugs (*chitta*), facing police encounters under the pretext of curbing hooliganism, and witnessing the drying up of rivers due to the illegal mining of 'gold-like' sand. Yet, during the campaign, Kejriwal had claimed that mining revenue worth thousands of crores would transform Punjab—a claim that has proven to be the exact opposite of reality. Today, Punjab's dilapidated roads tell a tale of neglect, and unemployed youths are being lathi-charged for demanding their rights. Promises were made to provide government jobs to the youth, but in reality, people did not receive them; while grand events were held in Punjab to distribute jobs, the opportunities remained confined to officials. Youth were assigned roles in schools and government offices, yet today, those very individuals are criticizing the government while running those offices, whereas in Delhi, crores of rupees are being invested to turn residents into millionaires.
The very narcotics Bhagwant Mann used to vow to curb are now available in village shops and are even being delivered to people's homes; drug sales in Punjab have multiplied manifold. Despite the alleged involvement of several ministers and government officials in this drug trade, Bhagwant Mann remains indifferent.
Bhagwant Mann's government has squandered crores of rupees in a so-called war against drugs, while funds are being siphoned off to Delhi through publicity campaigns orchestrated by Kejriwal. Is this the change that was promised? Tony appealed to the Punjabi diaspora—especially the youth—to understand and embrace the policies of the Shiromani Akali Dal, noting that the youth are the backbone of any political party. He emphasized that the Shiromani Akali Dal is their own regional party and will always stand by them.
He recalled that during the tenure of the Parkash Singh Badal and Sukhbir Singh Badal government, a dedicated NRI department was established to safeguard the land and interests of NRIs; however, the Mann government abolished this department immediately upon assuming power—a move that constitutes a massive betrayal of NRI Punjabis. He pledged that if the Shiromani Akali Dal returns to power in Punjab, the NRI department would be reinstated to prioritize the concerns of the diaspora and protect their properties.
Finally, Tony urged all overseas youth to participate in the events organized by the visiting Shiromani Akali Dal delegation in Canada and to support the party, ensuring the formation of a Shiromani Akali Dal government in 2027.