The Aam Aadmi Party's Youth Wing protested against seven Rajya Sabha MPs who joined the BJP, branding them 'Gaddar' (traitor). Demonstrators defaced the residence of cricketer-turned-politician Harbhajan Singh in Jalandhar.
'Gaddar' Protests Erupt Across Punjab
Aam Aadmi Party's Youth Wing on Saturday staged aggressive protests against the seven Rajya Sabha MPs who recently merged with the Bharatiya Janata Party. Demonstrators targeted the residences of these MPs, branding them "Gaddar" (traitor) in a series of coordinated demonstrations across Punjab.
In Jalandhar, protesters defaced the residence of cricketer-turned-politician Harbhajan Singh, spray-painting the word "Gaddar" in both English and Punjabi on the walls. The protestors sloganeered to express their disapproval, stating, "Punjab ka Gaddar, Murdabad". Similar scenes played out at the home and office of MP Rajinder Gupta, where protesters inscribed "Traitors of Punjab" and burned his effigy.
'Betrayed the People': AAP Hits Out
Despite a heavy police presence, the Youth Wing members carried out the demonstrations. During the protest, Parminder Singh Goldy, the Punjab President of the Aam Aadmi Party Youth Wing, launched a scathing attack on both the BJP and the Rajya Sabha members who had severed ties with the Aam Aadmi Party. "These people have betrayed the people of Punjab by surrendering to the BJP in the centre," he said. He asserted that the people of Punjab stand firmly with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Party Chief Arvind Kejriwal.
Amidst this, th AAP Punjab's official social media handles posted a graphic that used the letters of the defecting MPs' names to spell out the word "Gaddar". #GADDAAR pic.twitter.com/TW1kl3sXx6 — AAP Punjab (@AAPPunjab) April 25, 2026
7 Rajya Sabha MPs Join BJP
This comes after MPs--Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal--parted ways with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday and subsequently joined the BJP in the presence of party leadership.
Addressing a presser in the national capital, Chadha informed that Sandeep Pathak, Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Vikramjit Singh Sahney and Swati Maliwal have also switched to the BJP. "Today, every true patriot who nurtured the Aam Aadmi Party with their blood and sweat and joined it with great expectations has either left the Aam Aadmi Party or is leaving it. Every honest, hardworking person feels that there is no longer room for work in the Aam Aadmi Party. And the Aam Aadmi Party is now walking on a wrong path that no one wants to be associated with. Consequently, one by one, many leaders have left the Aam Aadmi Party," Chadha said on Saturday.
AAP to Seek Disqualification
The move triggered furious reactions from AAP leaders while drawing a warm welcome from the BJP. As this happened, Senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh announced that he will write to the Rajya Sabha chairman to demand the disqualification of the three MPs, citing the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, which details provisions of disqualification on the grounds of defection. (ANI)
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