Shiromani Akali Dal pledges to

Kapurthala/Daljeet Ajnoha /June 13 : A Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) delegation has been touring several Canadian cities since June 11 to meet Non-Resident Indian (NRI) Punjabis and familiarise them with the party’s policies, said Dharmainder Kumar Tony, state general secretary of SAD’s trade wing, in an exclusive interview.
Tony said the delegation is informing NRIs about what the party calls the failure of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government that came to power in Punjab in 2022 on the basis of false promises. “The AAP and Arvind Kejriwal misled Punjab’s gullible electorate by selling them a false dream of change,” he said. “People voted with hope, but as soon as the government formed, Bhagwant Mann became chief minister and turned into a puppet of leaders in Delhi.”
Tony accused the Mann government of reneging on promises made to Punjab’s youth. “Today, instead of opportunities, Punjab’s young people are being ruined by drugs; encounters in the name of curbing hooliganism are taking place; illegal sand mining is drying up our rivers despite Kejriwal’s election pledge to generate thousands of crores from mining to transform the state,” he said. He added that Punjab’s dilapidated roads cause distress, unemployed youth are beaten when they demand their rights, and promised government jobs have not materialised. “Jobs reportedly created through big events ended up in the hands of officials, not the youth. Offices and schools allotted to youth are now being criticised by the same people,” he said, alleging that Punjabis in Delhi have benefited instead.
Tony also alleged a rise in drug availability and sales across villages and homes. “Substances that Mann once vowed to stop are now easily available at village shops and being delivered to homes. Drug sales in Punjab have increased manifold. Despite reports linking several ministers and officials to the drug trade, Bhagwant Mann has turned a blind eye,” he claimed. He further alleged that the Mann government has wasted crores fighting drugs and that funds are being diverted to Delhi through flex banners and other means.
Appealing to the Punjabi diaspora, especially young people living abroad, Tony urged them to understand and adopt SAD’s policies, calling youth the backbone of any political party. “Shiromani Akali Dal is your regional party and will always stand with you,” he said, recalling that during the tenures of Sardar Parkash Singh Badal and Sukhbir Singh Badal, the government had established an NRI department to protect NRIs’ land and interests. “The Mann government abolished the NRI department soon after coming to power — a grave betrayal of NRIs,” he said.
Tony promised that if SAD returns to power in Punjab, the NRI department would be reinstated and would take primary responsibility for NRI Punjabi affairs and the protection of their properties. He concluded by appealing to young NRIs to attend events organised by the SAD delegation in Canada and support the party so that “your own Shiromani Akali Dal” can form the government in 2027.