Opposition Parties Condemn AAP's Moga Event as Political Rally in Government Guise
In Chandigarh, opposition parties including the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the Congress have launched a sharp critique against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government over an event held in Moga on Monday. They allege that the AAP organized "a political rally in the guise of a government function," sparking a heated political debate in Punjab.
Opposition Demands Action and Accountability
The SAD has called for intervention from the Election Commission (EC) and the Punjab governor, urging them to take notice of the event. SAD spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema emphasized that the money spent on the rally should be recovered from the AAP and deposited with the state exchequer. He pointed out that the Punjab chief secretary and Director General of Police (DGP) addressed the event, which even TV channels described as "poll bugle by the AAP." Cheema questioned, "What more politicisation of bureaucracy can happen than this? Governor sahib, as well as the Election Commission, should take notice."
The BJP raised objections specifically to the presence of AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal at the rally. Punjab BJP general secretary Anil Sarin demanded clarity on Kejriwal's capacity, stating, "Arvind Kejriwal needs to clarify in which capacity he participated in the Punjab government rally." Sarin added that as AAP convenor, Kejriwal can attend party functions but has no role in government events. BJP working president Ashwani Sharma further criticized the state's anti-drug drive by highlighting drug overdose deaths in a social media post.
Congress leaders also joined the fray, with MLA Pargat Singh and leader of opposition Partap Singh Bajwa condemning the government. Pargat noted that this was the first instance in history where senior government officials openly addressed a political rally from the stage, calling it a serious violation of service rules and constitutional principles. Bajwa warned, "Governance cannot become a spectacle of political endorsement. When the lines between government and party begin to blur, probity in public life is the first casualty."
AAP's Strong Defense and Counter-Allegations
AAP countered the opposition's charges vigorously. The party's state media incharge, Baltej Pannu, asserted that only members of village defence committees (VDCs) and a few aware citizens attended the event, and it was the opposition's discomfort with the state government's anti-drug initiatives that fueled their criticism. Pannu stated, "The opposition is so troubled by the steps being taken by the state government to make Punjab drug-free that they have started creating a noise without any reason. Opposition parties who are today crying over the use of government money perhaps forgot their shameful history."
Pannu accused opposition parties of using government vehicles to smuggle drugs during their tenure in power. He remarked, "The public did not forget how the drug trade flourished under the patronage of those in power. AAP government is spending the people's money to eliminate drugs and save Punjab's future, not to provide shelter to smugglers." He expressed confidence that the second phase of ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ (war against drugs) would succeed because every Punjabi desires a drug-free state. Pannu added, "But if anyone does not want it (end to the drug menace), it is only the opposition parties. Because, as soon as drugs are eradicated, their political shop will shut down."
Broader Political Implications and Social Media Reactions
The controversy has escalated on social media, with Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar posting on X, "Watching the chief secretary & DGP at AAP's rally today, one wonders if India's ‘steel frame' bureaucrats are now bending to political whims." This highlights concerns about the politicization of bureaucracy and the integrity of public administration in Punjab.
The event in Moga has thus become a focal point for broader debates on governance, political ethics, and the fight against drugs in Punjab. As opposition parties demand accountability and AAP defends its actions, the political landscape in the state remains tense, with implications for upcoming electoral dynamics and public trust in government institutions.
