Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab’s Chief Spokesperson and MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal launched a sharp attack on Leader of Opposition Pratap Singh Bajwa over his statement where he referred to the land of Sangrur as one that produces ‘termites’. Dhaliwal termed this remark as a reflection of Bajwa’s low mentality and his ignorance of Punjab’s glorious history.

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Dhaliwal said that Pratap Singh Bajwa should have studied the history of Sangrur before making such a statement. The land that gave birth to great patriots like Shaheed Udham Singh and Sewa Singh Thikriwala, and many important movements, calling it ‘termite-infested’ is extremely shameful. He added that Sangrur is a district that has always led revolutionary movements, whether it was the freedom struggle or the recent farmers’ movement.

Dhaliwal questioned whether the Congress leader Sant Ram Singla, on whose death anniversary Bajwa was speaking, was also a ‘termite’? He further said that how did the conscience of former minister Vijay Inder Singla, who was present there, not stop Bajwa from making such remarks about Sangrur? According to Bajwa, were former Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and her freedom fighter father Hira Singh Bhattal also ‘termite’? Bajwa should immediately apologize to the people of Punjab and the residents of Sangrur.

Launching a counterattack on Congress, Dhaliwal said that in reality, Congress itself is the ‘termite’ that has looted the country and Punjab for 75 years. He said, “Mr. Bajwa, you belong to the party that imposed Emergency in Punjab, carried out Operation Blue Star, orchestrated the massacre of Sikhs, and got thousands of youth killed in fake police encounters. From the coal scam to corruption by ministers like Sadhu Singh Dharamsot and Ashu during the Captain government, your party has only destroyed Punjab.”

Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said that the Aam Aadmi Party is not an ordinary party but a movement that rose from the same revolutionary soil of Sangrur, which has shaken the very foundations of major political strongholds like Captain Amarinder Singh, the Badal family, and Bhattal. He warned that the wave that started from Sangrur will reach Bajwa’s stronghold Qadian in 2027 and completely wipe out Congress. “Last time we won 92 seats, next time we will cross 100, because the people of Punjab will no longer tolerate Congress’s politics of loot and oppression.”

During the launch of Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna (MMSY) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has said, “Worry about the treatment, not the bills. The government will become your pocket.” For families like that of four-month-old Diljot, born to Rashpreet Kaur and Bharat Kumar in Abohar, those words have meant everything.

Diljot was diagnosed with a severe infection and a ventricular septal defect (VSD), a hole in the heart that develops before birth. Her parents took her to Bathinda for treatment, their only concern keeping her alive. The cost of intensive care was daunting until the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna stepped in. Diljot received specialised care, including round-the-clock monitoring, and her family did not have to worry about finances for a single day.

“The doctors told me my daughter has a hole in the heart. She was treated at two different hospitals, and the Sehat Card fully covered bills amounting to ₹2.77 lakhs” said Bharat Kumar, who runs a small salon in Abohar.

The scheme, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, ensures that families never have to choose between health and financial hardship. Under Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna, every mother and newborn can receive up to ₹10 lakh of cashless treatment annually, whether in government or empanelled private hospitals, from the earliest hours of a child’s life.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh said, “We are conducting programmes in villages to ensure families get timely check-ups and do not delay treatment.” In the last three months alone, more than 6,000 neonatal cases have been treated under Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna, reflecting the scheme’s growing reach in providing timely medical care to newborns. The scheme supports treatment for conditions such as low birth weight, premature birth, infections, and other neonatal complications, while strengthening maternal and postnatal healthcare services.

Diljot’s case is not an isolated one. Across Punjab, families are bringing newborns for care in the critical early days, reassured that the cost of treatment will not fall on them.

At Aggarwal Hospital, Bathinda, a newborn with severe jaundice and respiratory distress received intensive care, with a treatment cost of ₹1 lakh fully covered under Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna.

A few days old Mankirat Singh from Gadhaya, Patiala, required care for jaundice and breathing complications. His father, Balwinder Singh, said, “My son was born on March 25 and had a couple of complications. While we were worried about the newborn’s health, what worried us more was how we would cover the bills. Thanks to CM Bhagwant Mann’s scheme, the treatment cost was fully covered.”

Bimla Rani from Kotkapura, Faridkot recently gave birth to a baby requiring neonatal care. Her 18-day-old child is now safely receiving treatment under Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna, a family member confirmed.

These cases reflect a growing trend. Since the launch of Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna, more families across Punjab are bringing mothers and newborns to hospitals within the first 72 hours, improving health outcomes and reducing complications that worsen with delay.

The Punjab Government continues to encourage residents to enrol for the Sehat Card at designated centres and through on-ground camps to avail cashless treatment benefits under the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Member of Parliament Malvinder Singh Kang launched a sharp attack on Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal, stating that questioning the credibility of the Sikh supreme institution, Sri Akal Takht Sahib, reflects Badal’s frustration and his lack of respect for Sikh maryada.

Kang said that the way Sukhbir Badal is now targeting sacred institutions after witnessing his political ground slipping is extremely unfortunate.

MP Kang reminded that when Sukhbir Singh Badal was earlier summoned by Sri Akal Takht Sahib, he had admitted all his mistakes in the holy presence of Guru Maharaj. The entire world had witnessed him accepting his faults through a live broadcast. However, immediately after that, during a rally in Sri Muktsar Sahib, he changed his tone and shamelessly claimed that he had committed no wrongdoing. This double character reflects his arrogance and his disregard for the Sikh community.

Reacting strongly to Sukhbir Badal’s recent statement in which he alleged a ‘conspiracy’ against him at Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Kang said that such a grave disrespect or mistake is something even a non-Sikh would not commit.

He said that when the five Singh Sahiban, sitting in the presence of Guru Maharaj, delivered a decision based on Sikh maryada and glorious history, terming it a ‘conspiracy’ is a shameful act.

Kang said that for the wrongdoings Sukhbir Singh Badal has committed against Punjab and the Sikh Panth, the people of Punjab have already been punishing him continuously. But now, the way he has questioned the credibility and decisions of the Sikh supreme institution, the entire Panth will never forgive him. The community and the Sangat will hold him accountable for this act of disrespect in the coming time.