CHANDIGARH, APRIL 27 — A wave of coordinated protests swept through Punjab on Sunday as Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supporters and officials voiced their outrage over the defection of Rajya Sabha MPs to the BJP. The demonstrations, which included the burning of tires and the marking of “Gaddar” at the residences of the defecting members, centered on the demand that the MPs relinquish their seats in the upper house of Parliament.
The party maintained that the MPs misused the authority granted to them by the AAP’s historic mandate in the state. MLA Maninder Singh Giaspura stated that since these members were nominated through the party’s strength in the assembly, their move to the BJP constitutes a fundamental breach of trust. He declared that their Rajya Sabha memberships must be terminated immediately.
Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO affirmed that the defectors succumbed to pressure tactics from central investigative agencies. He stated that the members chose personal interest over the responsibility of representing Punjab’s voice in the national capital. Minister Lal Chand Kataruchakk echoed these sentiments, asserting that the BJP’s actions are part of a broader strategy to destabilize democratically elected opposition governments.
The protests extended into various sectors, with one significant demonstration occurring outside the Trident Group. Local leaders stated that the public response across the state reflects a deep-seated anger toward those who have abandoned their original political affiliation.
Minister Barinder Goyal declared that while the BJP has a history of such political dealings, the AAP remains unified at the grassroots level. He affirmed that those who left the party would eventually regret their decision as they face the judgment of the voters.
MLA Balkar Singh Sidhu asserted that the people of Punjab would never forgive this move, stating that the leaders had been given power and recognition by the AAP only to fail their supporters. Party karyakartas stated that similar defectors in the past eventually became politically irrelevant, maintained that these current members would face a similar fate.
