Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Monday launched a sharp attack on the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab, accusing it of promoting an “election freebie culture” and claiming that the people of the state are dissatisfied with the current administration led by Bhagwant Mann. Addressing a press conference in Chandigarh while responding to questions from journalists, the Chief Minister said that voters in Punjab have already decided to bring about a change in power in the upcoming state assembly elections. Haryana Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shyam Singh Rana was also present during the media interaction.
Saini criticized the Punjab government over its recent budget announcements, particularly the proposal to provide ₹1,500 to women belonging to the Scheduled Caste category and ₹1,000 to other women. The Haryana Chief Minister alleged that such announcements were politically motivated and aimed at influencing voters ahead of the next elections. According to him, these measures represent a continuation of the “freebie politics” historically practiced by both the Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress party during election periods. He stated that similar promises had been made in the past by previous Congress governments as well as by the current AAP administration in Punjab.
Taking a swipe at AAP leadership, Saini also referred to former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, saying that populist announcements had been a common political strategy used by the party during elections. He claimed that the political situation that emerged for AAP in Delhi could be repeated in Punjab during the next assembly elections, predicting that the government led by Bhagwant Mann could face a similar outcome if public dissatisfaction continues to grow.
The Haryana Chief Minister further alleged that the Punjab government has created obstacles in implementing the benefits of the Ayushman Bharat scheme. He said that whenever people from Punjab meet him, they complain that eligible beneficiaries are unable to fully access the benefits of the central government’s healthcare initiative due to administrative hurdles created by the state government. According to Saini, such actions are preventing deserving citizens from receiving healthcare support provided under the scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Saini also accused the Punjab government of creating hurdles during his recent visit to the state, claiming that programs scheduled during the tour were obstructed. In contrast, he said that whenever the Punjab Chief Minister visits Haryana, the state government ensures full respect and adherence to official protocol, extending proper hospitality and cooperation.
The Haryana Chief Minister also criticized the Punjab administration over incidents related to protests by women employees on International Women’s Day. He alleged that women protesting for their rights were met with tear gas by authorities, which he described as evidence of the government’s anti-women approach. In comparison, Saini highlighted that the Haryana government organized a state-level celebration in Sirsa to mark International Women’s Day and transferred crores of rupees to women beneficiaries through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) schemes as a sign of respect and empowerment.
Raising another issue, Saini targeted the Punjab government’s policy regarding pensions for senior citizens. He said that the state has fixed an income limit of ₹60,000 for eligibility under the old-age pension scheme, which he described as unfair to poor elderly citizens who may be excluded due to this restriction. By contrast, he noted that Haryana has set the income limit at ₹3 lakh, allowing a larger number of senior citizens to benefit from the old-age honorarium scheme and receive financial assistance from the state government.
Expressing confidence about the political future in Punjab, Saini claimed that people in the state are frustrated with the AAP government and are preparing to replace it in the upcoming assembly elections. He said that once the Bharatiya Janata Party comes to power in Punjab, the state will witness accelerated development similar to Haryana under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ultimately aiming to make Punjab the number one state in terms of development and governance.
During the press interaction, the Haryana Chief Minister also congratulated the Indian cricket team on its victory in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and extended his best wishes to the players for their future achievements. He additionally criticized West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over an incident during his recent visit to the state, alleging that she failed to show proper respect to President Droupadi Murmu. Saini stated that the President holds the highest constitutional office in the country and deserves respect from all political leaders and institutions.
