AAP govt tried to sideline Punjabi language: Partap Singh Bajwa

Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa on Monday slammed the AAP government for what he called a “deliberate and deceitful attempt” to sideline the Punjabi language and deny employment to the state youth in the recruitment process of 166 posts in Sugarfed Punjab.

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Bajwa alleged that the AAP government initially attempted to dilute the requirement of Punjabi language proficiency by allowing candidates who hadn’t passed Punjabi in Class 10 to appear for the examination on the condition that they clear a basic Punjabi test during their three-year probation.

“It was a clear attempt to recruit non-Punjabis by stealth. Only after a massive public outcry and media backlash did the government take a panicked U-turn and declare Punjabi compulsory again. This is not governance, it’s deceit,” Bajwa said.

He accused the AAP government of trying to sneak in policies that betray Punjab’s linguistic and cultural ethos, only to reverse course when caught red-handed.

“This pattern has become a hallmark of the AAP regime, quietly undermining Punjab’s interests, then staging a course correction to save face,” Bajwa stated.

Bajwa slammed Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for “allowing control” of Punjab’s institutions by Delhi leaders, saying the entire episode was yet another example of AAP’s top-down interference, which continues to erode Punjab’s autonomy and identity.