The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday unleashed a wave of massive, coordinated protests across every district of Punjab against the Rajya Sabha MPs who defected to the BJP, with streets echoing slogans of “Punjab de Gaddar” and walls marked with “Gaddar” written in public anger against an unforgivable betrayal of the Punjab’s mandate.
From district headquarters to industrial hubs, including a pointed protest outside the Trident Group against Rajinder Gupta, AAP leaders and karyakartas, joined by large numbers of citizens, staged fierce demonstrations, burnt tyres, and openly condemned those who, they said, had trampled upon the trust of Punjabis for political gain.
Calling the defections a grave betrayal of Punjab’s soil and self-respect, AAP demanded immediate cancellation of the MPs’ Rajya Sabha membership, asserting that those who have sided with the BJP under pressure and opportunism will neither be forgiven nor accepted by the people of Punjab.
Punjab Cabinet Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO strongly condemned the defectors and said, “The Rajya Sabha is meant to represent the voice of the state in Parliament. These members were sent to raise Punjab’s issues, but instead of fulfilling their responsibility, they aligned with the BJP.
This is a shameful act and a betrayal of three crore Punjabis.” He added, “The BJP used intimidation tactics, including threats of ED and CBI action, to coerce leaders into joining the party under Operation Lotus.” Minister Lal Chand Kataruchakk also criticised the move and said, “These MPs were elected with the support of AAP MLAs to represent Punjab’s interests.
Instead of raising Punjab’s voice, they have stabbed the state and the party in the back. BJP’s continuous attempts to destabilize opposition governments through such tactics are well known.” During the protest in Lehragaga Cabinet Minister Barinder Goyal stated, “Wheeling and dealing politics has been BJP's history.
Punjab's politics has not been affected by these people leaving, but rather their faces have come before the people. Whoever went to BJP later regretted it. We stand with the Aam Aadmi Party's ideology like a rock.” MLA Balkar Singh Sidhu said, “The names of these leaders will be written in history as traitors.
AAP gave them recognition and positions of power, but they failed to uphold the trust placed in them. The people of Punjab will never forgive this betrayal. Such leaders will face political isolation.” MLA Maninder Singh Giaspura said, “These MPs were not directly elected by the public but were nominated through the mandate given to AAP.
They have misused the trust of the people and betrayed Punjab. We demand that their Rajya Sabha membership be immediately cancelled.” AAP leaders stated, “The people of Punjab had given a historic mandate to the party, following which seven members were elected to the Rajya Sabha under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal and CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.
However, six of those MPs have now, for selfish reasons, joined the BJP, succumbing to undemocratic pressure tactics including misuse of central agencies.” An AAP karyakarta addressing protesters said, “Those who abandoned the party will soon be forgotten by the people of Punjab, just as earlier defectors faded into political irrelevance.
They have betrayed not just the party but the entire state. Punjab will not forgive them.” AAP leaders reiterated that the party remains strong and united at every level, from state leadership to grassroots organisation, and asserted that such actions by the BJP would not weaken the party.
They termed the entire episode as part of the BJP’s “Operation Lotus” aimed at derailing the development work being carried out by the AAP government in Punjab.