AAP's Baltej Pannu targets SAD, Congress, BJP silence on woman's SGPC sarai allegations
Synopsis
AAP Punjab's Baltej Pannu has publicly named SAD's Sukhbir Badal and Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Congress's Bajwa and Warring, and BJP leaders, demanding they explain a woman's alleged six-month stay inside an SGPC sarai at Sri Anandpur Sahib — with SAD leader Amarjit Singh Chawla named as an accused in the FIR.
Key Takeaways
AAP Punjab Media In-charge Baltej Pannu on 23 September challenged SAD , Congress , and BJP leaders to publicly address allegations surrounding a woman's alleged stay at an SGPC-run sarai .
SAD leader Amarjit Singh Chawla is named as an accused in the FIR registered in the case, according to Pannu.
A woman allegedly stayed inside the SGPC sarai at Sri Anandpur Sahib for more than six months ; AAP is questioning who arranged her rooms and facilities.
SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami issued a video statement after nearly a month without facing journalists directly, drawing criticism from AAP.
AAP questioned why Congress and BJP representatives were absent from television debates on the issue.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab Media In-charge Baltej Pannu on Wednesday, 23 September publicly challenged leaders of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Congress, and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to break their silence over a woman's alleged stay at an SGPC-run sarai in Sri Anandpur Sahib and the related criminal case. Pannu questioned why these parties, active at rallies and political events, had refused to address questions being raised across Punjab about the incident.
Key Accusations and Demands
Pannu named SAD leaders Sukhbir Singh Badal, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, and Bikram Singh Majithia, along with Congress leaders Partap Singh Bajwa and Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, as among those who had not publicly responded to questions surrounding the first information report (FIR) and the woman's prolonged stay at the sarai. He also pointed to the absence of Congress and BJP representatives from television debates on the matter.
'Why are Congress and BJP representatives not even participating in television debates on this issue? If they have nothing to hide and believe they have answers to the questions being raised across Punjab, they should come forward and answer them,' Pannu said.
SGPC President's Video Statement Under Scrutiny
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) President Harjinder Singh Dhami came under direct fire from Pannu. According to the AAP leader, Dhami surfaced after nearly a month but chose to issue a video statement rather than face journalists directly. Pannu demanded to know why Dhami did not appear before the media to answer questions, and also asked him to disclose how many gurdwaras under the SGPC have erected boards concerning excommunicated individuals.
'The question is simple: Why did Dhami not come before journalists and answer the questions being raised on the issue,' Pannu said.
Akali Dal Leader Named in FIR
Citing the FIR directly, Pannu stated that SAD leader Amarjit Singh Chawla is named as an accused in the case. This detail, he argued, makes the silence of Akali Dal leadership all the more difficult to justify.
Unanswered Questions About the Sarai Stay
Central to the AAP's line of questioning is how a woman could allegedly remain inside the SGPC-run sarai at Sri Anandpur Sahib for more than six months. Pannu asked who arranged her stay, who assigned the rooms, and how SGPC staff and facilities were allegedly made available to her over that period.
'The public wants to know how a woman could stay in an SGPC-run sarai for more than six months. Who arranged her stay? Who arranged the rooms? How were SGPC staff and other facilities allegedly provided to her? These questions cannot be avoided by issuing a video statement,' Pannu said. The SGPC administration, he added, must explain who was responsible for facilitating the arrangement over several months.
Political Context
This comes amid heightened political tensions in Punjab, where the AAP government has consistently sought to hold the SGPC — historically linked to the Akali Dal — accountable. The controversy over the sarai adds another pressure point ahead of ongoing political battles in the state. Notably, the AAP's decision to target all three opposition parties simultaneously signals a broader attempt to frame the silence as a collective failure of accountability rather than a partisan issue.
How the SGPC and the named opposition leaders respond — or continue to stay silent — will shape the political narrative around this case in the coming days.
Point of View
Congress, and BJP is a deliberate framing move — casting silence across the opposition as collective complicity rather than individual evasion, which is a harder charge to rebut. The more consequential question, however, is institutional: if the allegations of a six-month facilitated stay inside a religious institution's premises are borne out, the accountability failure rests with the SGPC administration, not just its political patrons. SGPC President Dhami's video-only appearance after nearly a month suggests a communication strategy calibrated to minimise scrutiny, which itself invites scrutiny. With an Akali Dal leader named in the FIR, the Badal family's political calculus here is delicate — speaking up risks entangling them further, while staying silent keeps the AAP's narrative alive.
NationPress
23 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the allegations in the Punjab SGPC sarai case?
The allegations relate to a woman who reportedly stayed inside an SGPC-run sarai at Sri Anandpur Sahib for more than six months. A case has been registered, with an FIR naming SAD leader Amarjit Singh Chawla as an accused, according to AAP Punjab Media In-charge Baltej Pannu.
Why is AAP targeting SAD, Congress, and BJP over this issue?
AAP's Baltej Pannu has accused these parties of maintaining silence on the FIR and the circumstances of the woman's stay, despite remaining active at political rallies. He argued that their refusal to participate in public debates or issue responses amounts to an evasion of accountability.
What did SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami say about the case?
Dhami issued a video statement after nearly a month, but did not appear before journalists to answer questions directly. AAP questioned why he chose a recorded statement over a media interaction, and also demanded he disclose how many SGPC-managed gurdwaras have erected boards related to excommunicated individuals.
Who is Amarjit Singh Chawla and what is his role in the case?
Amarjit Singh Chawla is a Shiromani Akali Dal leader who, according to Baltej Pannu's citation of the FIR, is named as an accused in the case related to the woman's alleged stay at the SGPC sarai.
What specific questions is AAP raising about the sarai stay?
AAP is asking who arranged the woman's stay of over six months at the SGPC-run sarai, who allocated the rooms, and how SGPC staff and facilities were allegedly made available to her — questions the party says cannot be answered through a video statement alone.
