Harsimrat Badal: ‘I have not signalled Akali Dal, BJP alliance for Punjab polls’

With the upcoming Assembly elections in Punjab just over four months, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal is leading her party's women-focused Mawan Dhiyan Insaaf Yatra against drugs across the state. In an interview with The Indian Express, Badal spoke about the drug problem in the state, her party's vision for Punjab, and speculations about the SAD-BJP alliance for the elections. Excerpts from the interview are as follows:

Badal dismissed the idea that her anti-drug campaign, which focuses on women affected by the drug problem, is in competition with the AAP’s Mawan Dhiyan Satkar Yojana. She emphasized that her programme is about empathizing with the pain of women and not competing with anyone. Badal also criticized the AAP's scheme, stating that it is only symbolism and not providing adequate financial aid.

Regarding the previous SAD-BJP government's tenure, Badal pointed out that drugs were not openly sold on the streets of Punjab and youngsters were not seen with syringe-poked arms. She also alleged that the AAP government was attempting to defame the SAD-BJP tenure, despite the fact that heroin is now being sold like toffees in Punjab. Badal also accused the police of being involved in a nexus with drug suppliers and threatened complainants in drug cases.

When asked about the Nanhi Chhan NGO, which also campaigns against drugs, Badal defended her NGO and stated that she has empowered over 14,000 women through it. She criticized the "Guru Dokhi" (anti-Guru) CM for not empowering a single woman and bringing any projects for the state during his tenure.

Badal also introduced the Mawan Dhiyan Di Fauj campaign, which aims to identify drug traffickers and their godfathers across the state. She urged women to record all acts of drug trafficking and forward the information to a special anti-drug task force headed by a woman DGP for swift action against the culprits when the SAD government comes to power.

Lastly, when asked about the buzz surrounding a possible SAD-BJP alliance for the Punjab elections, Badal stated that she has not given any indication about such an alliance. She attributed the misinterpretation of her statement to her rivals and expressed her belief that public support could bring the SAD to power in the upcoming elections, as people no longer want Delhi to govern them.