Shiromani Akali Dal reduced to family biz: AAP

Ruling AAP on Wednesday targeted SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, alleging that he had reduced his party to a “family-run business” from a Panthic movement.

Punjab Minister and state AAP chief Aman Arora claimed that Sukhbir had said on Wednesday that “thousands of party workers were stopped from attending Bikram Majithia’s court hearing”.

“I want to ask him, do you even a thousand workers left in Punjab? You have turned Akali Dal into ‘Khaali Dal’ (empty party),” Arora said taking a jibe on Sukhbir.

Arora said the Akali Dal, which once fought for the Panth and Punjab, was now fighting to “protect the drug mafia”. “This is extremely unfortunate,” he added.

Meanwhile, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Cheema accused SAD of “actively working to protect drug traffickers and sabotaging the rule of law in Punjab”.

He alleged that parties like the Congress, BJP and the SAD were “visibly agitated and have resorted to siding with drug mafias”.

“For the past 25-30 years, these parties ruled Punjab and established a deep-rooted nexus with drug traffickers. From 2007 to 2017, under the Akali rule, drugs flooded Punjab. Instead of jobs, our youth were handed syringes and packets of ‘chitta’,” said Cheema.

He said the SAD had been transformed from a Panthic movement to a “family-run business empire” under the control of Sukhbir.

“The Akali Dal was founded in 1920 to protect the Sikh faith, gurdwaras and panthic values. But after being captured by the Badal family, especially Sukhbir Badal, it shifted its focus to amassing wealth through corruption, launching hotels and laundering money,” he added.

Referring to SAD leader Bikram Majithia’s arrest, Cheema said the Opposition party had now launched a “save-the-family campaign”.

“What started in 1920 as Panth Bachao campaign has in 2025 become Parivaar Bachao drive. The Akali Dal is now aggressively trying to shield Majithia, a key accused in drug cases,” said Cheema.