In 2022, when the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) stormed to power in Punjab, winning 92 out of 117 seats, many believed it marked the dawn of a new era in state politics, with the party promising good governance, transparency, and an end to corruption.
Yet, nearly three years later, the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government is in the news for attempting to revive its anti-corruption drive in the wake of the Arvind Kejriwal-led party’s debacle in the recent Delhi Assembly elections.
The AAP had swept both Delhi and Punjab, riding its anti-corruption plank. But with the AAP’s rout in the Delhi polls partly attributed to allegations of corruption – from the alleged liquor policy scam to the “Sheesh Mahal” controversy – the party leadership has seen a clear public signal that an anti-corruption agenda is needed to regain its momentum.
So now, with an eye on the 2027 Punjab Assembly polls, the AAP has renewed its focus on rooting out corruption in the state – the party’s main promise during its 2022 poll campaign.
On Friday, the Mann government sought resignations from 236 law officers, with officials citing its “unhappiness” over the performance of the Advocate General’s office, particularly after the government had lost several cases in the courts.
While these resignations have been given, Advocate General Gurminder Singh said the officers will continue in their posts until the “entire (AG) office is restructured”.
Last December, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had quashed the FIRs against former Congress ministers Bharat Bhushan Ashu and Sunder Sham Arora over graft allegations, with the AAP dispensation facing a setback in its purported objective of taking action against corruption in public life. Both these cases were handled by the Vigilance Bureau.
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Last Monday, the Mann government removed Varinder Kumar, a 1993 batch IPS officer, from his post as chief director of the Vigilance Bureau, and asked him to report to the director general of police (DGP).
On Thursday, the government dismissed more than 50 police officers, ranging from constables to inspectors, on charges of corruption. On Friday, a rejig in the state police saw the government appointing new police chiefs in nine districts. Meanwhile, the state police said eight superintendents of police (SPs) and 10 deputy SPs have been suspended in recent months.
Last Monday, Sri Muktsar Sahib’s Deputy Commissioner Rajesh Tripathi, a 2016 batch IAS officer, was also suspended and a vigilance inquiry was ordered against him following “serious complaints of corruption”.
With such mass dismissals in the Punjab Police, the AAP government is looking to send a strong signal about its commitment to tackling corruption.
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After the AAP came to power in the state in early 2022, the Vigilance Bureau had slapped cases against former ministers and leaders of other parties, drawing allegations of “vendetta politics”. By taking the above measures, the government is trying to project its commitment to probity.
However, Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa, the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Assembly, has accused the AAP government of allegedly “cherry picking” corruption cases, targeting lower-ranking officials while shielding senior functionaries. He charged that this “selective approach” undermined the party’s stated “zero-tolerance” stand on corruption.
Bajwa cited allegations against several AAP leaders, including former health minister Vijay Singla, who was accused of corruption shortly after the party came to power. Though CM Mann had removed him from the Cabinet, Singla got relief from the courts after the Vigilance Bureau was unable to produce any evidence against him. “While Singla was promptly removed from his position, the case has been notably hushed up, with Singla now participating in party activities as though nothing had happened,” Bajwa said.
“Another scandal that raised eyebrows was the viral audio clip of former AAP minister Fauja Singh Sarari allegedly discussing an extortion plan. Despite the severity of the accusations, the party appeared to make every effort to protect Sarari. Meanwhile, Cabinet minister Lal Chand Kataruchak’s involvement in the alleged Pathankot Panchayat land scam and allegations of sexual misconduct have yet to result in any significant action,” the LoP alleged, adding that AAP MLA Amit Rattan Kotfatta was also facing allegations over a bribery case.
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On its part, the AAP has, however, asserted that the Mann government’s recent measures are part of its campaign against corruption. Punjab AAP spokesperson Neel Garg said, “It is just that we have intensified our crusade after the CM’s orders. We have been nailing the corrupt ever since we came to power. On our helpline for complaints against corruption, we received 1,900 complaints, out of which 438 cases were registered and 817 arrests were made. Now, we are making it more intense.”
