3 min readMar 1, 2026 03:27 PM IST
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal, Saturday, said cleaning up Sutlej and Beas rivers would be a top priority of the next party government and he would not allow polluted effluents to flow into the state’s rivers.
Badal was addressing a rally as part of the Punjab Bachao movement at Bathinda’s Bhai Rupa village. He said, “Polluted water is the reason for the spread of cancer in the Malwa region. I am committed to ending this scourge once and for all.”
With senior party leader Sikandar Singh Maluka present, Badal said the SAD was also committed to ending gunda raj and the drug mafia. He also said apart from extortions and targeted killings, now even youth were being killed in false encounters by the state police.
“Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has turned Punjab into a Police State. Police are being used rampantly to target farmers, employees, political opponents and even the media… once elected to power the SAD will usher in peace and communal harmony, and bring back people’s rule. We will also deal with gangsters and the drug mafia sternly. They will be declared as terrorists and special legislation will be brought in to deny them bail…”
Badal said neither the Congress and the AAP nor the BJP have any real concern for Punjab and its people. “Their only concern is to usurp power.”
The SAD, on the other hand was fully committed to the state. “When the AAP as well as the central government failed you during the devastating floods last year, the SAD came forward to provide flood relief immediately”.
The SAD chief also gave the example of how Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had come to the state not out of any concern. “He is here only to quell the dissidence in the Punjab Congress. He understands the party is on the verge of disintegration with all its leaders at each other’s throats. He is on a desperate mission to save the party…”
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He also announced that once elected to power, the SAD would ensure the release of tube well connections to all farmers who were bereft of this facility. He also announced government jobs would be reserved only for Punjabis and that there would be 75 per cent reservation in industries for Punjabi youth who would also be eligible for an interest fee Rs 10 lakh loan.
Senior leader Bikram Singh Majithia also spoke at the rally. “If the AAP is serious about providing any relief to the womenfolk, they should release Rs 60,000, which is due to each woman of the state immediately.”
Among others, Harinder Singh Mehraj and Mohan Singh Bangi also spoke on the occasion.
