Chandigarh, July 29
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Punjab BJP President Sunil Jakhar has raised questions over the alleged irregularities in the Punjab State Rural Livelihood Mission recruitment process. He said that leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), who claim to follow principles of fairness and integrity, have, after allegedly looting Punjab’s treasury, local body elections, and the state’s mining sector, now begun to manipulate government recruitment as well.
In a message shared on social media, Jakhar wrote that under the AAP government, which claims to represent “absolute honesty,” irregularities have come to light in the recruitment conducted under Advertisement No. 126 dated January 28, 2026, for the Punjab State Rural Livelihood Mission. The matter came to light when an applicant approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The High Court has constituted an independent inquiry committee. Jakhar questioned the government, asking whose recommendation led to the alleged manipulation, who will be held accountable, and whether the concerned minister will be asked to resign on moral grounds.
Jakhar further said that AAP leaders project an image of uncompromising honesty outside Punjab, but once they arrive in the state, they abandon ethics and integrity in favour of political manipulation. He added that while the Chief Minister repeatedly claims that government jobs in Punjab are being given without recommendations or bribery, allegations of irregularities in recruitment are emerging under the same government.
Jakhar also stated that the AAP government’s claims of providing jobs fairly carry no more credibility than its claims denying paper leaks despite multiple examination paper leak incidents in Punjab. The former Punjab BJP President alleged that, under the guise of honesty, the AAP government is ruthlessly looting Punjab and has now extended this to depriving unemployed youth of their rightful employment opportunities. He asked the Chief Minister when action would be taken against those responsible and when the minister in charge of the concerned department would be asked to resign.