The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) hit back at the opposition over the matter of the Administrative Reforms Department. The party criticized leaders of the Shiromani Akali Dal and Congress, accusing them of unnecessarily creating an issue out of nothing.
Senior AAP Punjab leader and spokesperson Neel Garg stated that this department was started in 1994. It has existed since its inception under the "Allocation of Business Rules 1994." In 2018, this ministry was under the then-Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh. Therefore, claims that this department never existed are completely baseless and false.
Neel Garg accused the opposition of deliberately exaggerating this issue to malign the Aam Aadmi Party, even though this is not a new matter. Both central and state governments have dissolved various departments multiple times in the past.
"For example, during the BJP government, there used to be a 'Disinvestment Ministry,' which the UPA government later dissolved because they did not feel the need for it at that time. Similarly, the Mann government has issued a notification dissolving the Administrative Reforms Department, as its work is being handled by the 'Governance Reforms Department.' Hence, the government no longer requires this department," said Neel Garg.
Garg also criticised opposition leaders Pratap Singh Bajwa, Bikram Majithia, and Punjab Congress President Raja Warring for misleading the public and doing petty politics. He urged them to focus on raising real public issues instead of highlighting baseless matters.