The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday held strong protests against Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi’s ‘Jawani Sambhal Yatra’ at Chamkaur Sahib and Samrala, with party leaders and volunteers showing black flags and raising slogans against the Congress leadership. AAP leaders said that Charanjit Singh Channi, who had pushed Punjab’s youth towards drugs during his tenure, was now staging a political drama in the name of safeguarding their future while remaining silent on the assault on Dalit leader Ranjit Singh Tarkhan Majra at Congress Bhawan.

Addressing the media during the protest at Chamkaur Sahib, AAP Candidate from Chamkur Sahib Jasvir Singh Garhi said, “The Congress party has always discriminated against Dalits and backward communities. Ranjit Singh Tarkhan Majra was assaulted at Congress Bhawan, but no action has been taken in his case to date. The Disciplinary Committee issued a notice on November 1, and even a week after the notice expired, the Congress leadership has failed to act.”

The AAP candidate from Chamkur Sahib said, “Charanjit Singh Channi has made a deeply disappointing statement by asking why Ranjit Singh Tarkhan Majra did not hit back with four punches. What kind of rule does Charanjit Singh Channi want in Punjab? Does Charanjit Singh Channi not believe in the Constitution of Babasaheb Ambedkar? Does Charanjit Singh Channi want an eye for an eye and a punch for a punch? Such a statement from a former Chief Minister is extremely immature and irresponsible.”

He further said, “The Congress party cannot escape accountability by describing this incident as an internal family dispute. If it is an internal family dispute, why has Ranjit Singh Tarkhan Majra’s grievance not been addressed to date? Why has the SC/ST case been withheld? Even today, during Charanjit Singh Channi’s rally, associates of Barinder Dhillon made obscene gestures towards members of the Dalit community. Is this how the Congress leadership respects Dalits?”

Taking a dig at Charanjit Singh Channi’s position within the Congress, Jasvir Singh Garhi said, “Charanjit Singh Channi himself is a helpless and powerless leader. When Charanjit Singh Channi organised a cycle march carrying his own photograph, the Congress high command twisted his arm and instructed him to put up photographs of Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Raja Warring, Partap Singh Bajwa and Pargat Singh as well.”

The AAP leader added, “Today, Charanjit Singh Channi is not even getting a chair on the stage. Sometimes Charanjit Singh Channi is seen standing at the back, and at other times sitting on the armrest of a chair. Charanjit Singh Channi should clearly tell the people of Punjab that he is not a leader who genuinely represents the interests and dignity of Dalits.”

At Samrala, AAP leaders and volunteers also staged a strong protest against Charanjit Singh Channi’s ‘Jawani Sambhal Yatra’ under the leadership of SC Wing District President Jaspreet Singh Bija. They showed black flags to Congress leaders and raised slogans against the party.

AAP leaders at Samrala said, “A person who cannot even protect the dignity of a Dalit leader at his own party office should be ashamed of taking out a ‘Jawani Sambhal Yatra’ in Punjab. Before lecturing Punjab’s youth about their future, Charanjit Singh Channi and the Congress leadership must answer why justice has not been delivered to Ranjit Singh Tarkhan Majra.”

They added, “The Congress leadership’s silence on the assault exposes its hypocrisy. The Congress party cannot claim to stand for social justice while failing to ensure dignity, respect and accountability for Dalits within its own organisation.”

Cabinet Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO today hit back at Akali Dal (Badal) leader Bikram Singh Majithia over his remarks on the PCS (Punjab Civil Services) Mains examination result, challenging him to first clarify his stand on both possible outcomes concerning his son, Harshjit Singh, rather than indulging in speculation.

Responding to Bikram Singh Majithia’s post on social media platform X, Cabinet Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO thanked the Akali leader for seeking clarification on the PCS result and said that he would certainly respond to his questions. However, he asked Bikram Singh Majithia to first explain what his reaction would be if Harshjit Singh had cleared the PCS Mains examination and, conversely, if his name did not figure in the list of successful candidates. “I will certainly clarify the matter. But first, please clarify what your stand would be if my son Harshjit Singh has cleared the PCS Mains examination. And if his name does not appear in the PCS Mains list, what would you have to say then? I await your response,” he said in his post.

The Cabinet Minister’s response came after Bikram Singh Majithia questioned him over the PCS recruitment process and sought clarification on whether his son was among the candidates who had qualified for the Mains examination.

Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO challenged Bikram Singh Majithia to answer these two straightforward questions, asserting that the Akali leader must clarify what he would say in either eventuality instead of speculating about the examination result.

The holy city of Sri Anandpur Sahib, blessed by the supreme sacrifices of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji, has earned national recognition for its cleanliness, emerging as Punjab’s Best Swachh City in Swachh Survekshan 2025-26. The honour reflects the Bhagwant Mann government’s commitment to preserving the sanctity and dignity of Punjab’s holy cities, where cleanliness is not merely an administrative responsibility but a matter of faith, devotion and collective responsibility. Building on the exemplary arrangements made during the 350th Shaheedi Diwas commemorations, the Bhagwant Mann government will now replicate Sri Anandpur Sahib’s cleanliness model across Punjab, with a special focus on Sri Amritsar Sahib, Sri Anandpur Sahib and Sri Talwandi Sabo, transforming them into role model cities.

Addressing a press conference, Local Government Minister Harjot Singh Bains said, “The dedication of the Bhagwant Mann government was on full display during the 350th Shaheedi Diwas commemorations of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji and his companions Bhai Mati Das Ji, Bhai Sati Das Ji and Bhai Dayala Ji, when lakhs of devotees witnessed clean streets, smooth sanitation and seamless arrangements at Sri Anandpur Sahib.”

Crediting the achievement to CM Bhagwant Singh Mann’s leadership and the tireless work of municipal officers, sanitation workers and residents under Mission Clean Punjab, the Local Government Minister stated, “Under CM Bhagwant Singh Mann’s guidance, we worked with devotion and discipline. The arrangements at Sri Anandpur Sahib became a model for all. The cleanliness drive under Mission Clean Punjab has already produced visible improvements in Amritsar, Ludhiana and other cities. Over 2,000 Garbage Vulnerable Points (GVPs) were identified across the state, of which more than 1,300 have been removed. All major cities will soon have modern solid waste processing plants.”

Emphasising the government’s focus on urban development, Minister Harjot Singh Bains added, “Our focus is on our cities. The goal is to make Punjab’s urban areas cleaner, greener and more liveable. Sri Anandpur Sahib’s recognition has only increased our responsibility.” He also thanked the city’s residents for their cooperation and wholehearted support.

Highlighting the welfare measures for sanitation workers, the Cabinet Minister stated, “The Bhagwan Mann government has brought outsourced sanitation workers under direct contracts, regularised contractual workers who have completed 5 years of service, and increased the monthly remuneration of contractual sanitation staff to ₹20,520, ensuring job security and dignity for those who keep Punjab clean. The first function to honour these workers and hand over regularisation letters was held in Nangal.”

Minister Harjot Singh Bains further stated, “The department has set up a state-of-the-art control room in Sri Amritsar Sahib that maps every street and household through GPS to monitor door-to-door garbage collection and sanitation in real time. We are using advanced technology. We can show which sweeper reached which lane and when waste was collected from a household.”

The Cabinet Minister added, “The Bhagwant Mann government is giving special focus to Sri Amritsar Sahib, including Sri Darbar Sahib, Durgiana Temple and the Wagah border, and wants to develop Amritsar as a model city for cleanliness. The holy cities of Sri Amritsar Sahib, Sri Anandpur Sahib and Sri Talwandi Sabo will be developed as role model cities.”

Thanking officials and sanitation workers, Minister Harjot Singh Bains emphasised, “Their tireless work, even in cold conditions during the commemorative events marking the 350th Shaheedi Diwas, has helped Punjab earn national recognition. This is a collective achievement. I thank every sanitation worker, officer and resident who contributed.”