Fatehgarh Sahib, September 15, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday claimed that a political “storm” was building in favour of the party and would sweep away those who had allegedly joined hands with central agencies to weaken the SAD, along with parties controlled from Delhi.
Addressing a large gathering in Fatehgarh Sahib as part of the SAD’s Punjab Bachao campaign, Badal urged voters to distinguish between their regional party and those he described as “stooges of agencies”. He also targeted the Waris Punjab De outfit, alleging that its sole objective was to defeat the SAD and that it could not contribute positively to Punjab or the Sikh Panth.
Badal said the SAD remained committed to development, peace, communal harmony and the Sikh principle of sarbat da bhala. He alleged that divisive forces viewed the SAD as an obstacle to their efforts to gain control of Sikh religious institutions.
“Our heads may be severed but we will not flinch from our principles,” he said.
Launching a sharp attack on Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Badal said Punjab had “not witnessed a worse chief minister”. He levelled allegations of sacrilege, corruption in government postings and transfers, and protection being extended to criminals against the Mann government. He also alleged that gangster Gurpreet Sekhon, against whom he claimed around 50 criminal cases were registered, had been inducted into the AAP.
On sacrilege, Badal alleged that incidents involving Sri Guru Granth Sahib began after AAP entered Punjab politics in 2015. He cited the conviction of AAP MLA Naresh Yadav in a Malerkotla sacrilege case and said neither an Akali leader nor worker had faced proceedings in any sacrilege case during the last decade. He accused successive Congress and AAP governments of using the issue politically to divert attention from corruption, alleged human-rights violations and power shortages.
Badal also blamed Mann for prolonged power cuts affecting farmers, domestic consumers and industry. He alleged that the government had failed to address the power shortfall for nearly two weeks and criticised the Chief Minister for claiming that farmers were receiving uninterrupted 10-hour power supply.
He further condemned Mann for allegedly describing the suicide of Gulzar Singh as a minor incident.
Calling the SAD the true heir of the Sikh quom, Badal said the party had prepared an action plan to put Punjab “back on the rails”. He appealed to voters to strengthen the regional party and reject “all the parties of Delhi”.
Badal announced that, if the SAD returned to power, farmers without tube-well connections would be provided connections immediately. He also promised 50 kg of wheat to beneficiaries under the Aata-Daal scheme, an increase in the Shagun benefit to ₹1 lakh and old-age pension of ₹3,100 per month.
He further announced plans for medical and veterinary colleges at every district headquarters, ₹10 lakh interest-free loans for young entrepreneurs and a 75 per cent subsidy for animal-husbandry farm projects.
Senior SAD leaders who addressed the rally included Baljit Singh Bhutta, Dr Daljit Singh Cheema, Darbara Singh Guru, Gurpreet Singh Rajukhanna, Sarabjit Singh Jhinjhar, Sharanjit Singh Chanarthal, Surjit Singh Garhi, advocate AS Dharni, Tejinder Singh Middulhera, Arshdeep Singh Kler and Manmohan Singh Makaropur.
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