Chandigarh, September 10, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Punjab AAP State General Secretary (Organisation) and Media In-charge Baltej Pannu on Thursday claimed that BJP leaders were chased away by villagers during their visit to Toor Banjara in Sangrur, saying the incident showed that caste and religion-based electoral politics would not find acceptance in Punjab.
Reacting to the development, Pannu said the BJP was attempting to bring the kind of caste-based politics seen in Haryana into Punjab, particularly the Jat-non-Jat political narrative.
“Punjab’s soil is fertile, but the crops of religion, caste and hatred do not grow here,” Pannu said, adding that people had earlier sent a similar message to the Congress and had now “sent the BJP packing as well”.
He said Punjab’s social and political character was different from states where electoral divisions are built around caste identities.
“When elections were held in Haryana, they played the Jat-non-Jat game. Now they want to play the same game in Punjab. But such a game has never worked in Punjab and it will never work here,” Pannu said.
The AAP leader said political parties should not view Punjab’s electorate as a collection of caste-based vote banks. He claimed that Punjabis would reject attempts to divide society on religious or caste lines for electoral gains.
Pannu also targeted the Shiromani Akali Dal, Congress and BJP, urging leaders of the three parties to “read the writing on the wall” and refrain from exploiting religious and caste sentiments for political purposes.
Drawing a contrast with the AAP, he said the party’s politics was focused on education, healthcare, development and public welfare.
“AAP has done the politics of schools and hospitals. We have neither done the politics of religion and caste, nor will we do so in the future,” Pannu said.
He added that the party would oppose what he described as “dirty politics” aimed at creating social divisions in Punjab.
Pannu said the response in Toor Banjara should serve as a message to political parties seeking to gain electorally through caste-based polarisation. According to him, the people of Punjab want political discourse centred on education, healthcare, development and welfare rather than religion, caste and hatred.
“The people have given their message. Those who are trying to divide Punjab for political gains should read the writing on the wall,” he said.
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