“Undeclared Emergency in Punjab”: Sukhbir Singh Badal Detained While Marching for Majithia

Mohali: Tensions escalated in Punjab on Wednesday as Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal was taken into preventive custody by the Punjab Police while attempting to lead a protest march in support of senior party leader Bikramjit Singh Majithia. The protest was planned outside the Mohali district court complex.

Badal, accompanied by other SAD leaders, was detained near Gurdwara Amb Sahib in Mohali before the group could proceed toward the court premises. The move comes days after Majithia’s arrest in a disproportionate assets case, which the SAD leadership claims is politically motivated.

Calling the state’s actions “repressive,” Badal alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has imposed an “undeclared emergency” across Punjab. He accused Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of launching a crackdown on opposition workers by placing roadblocks and detaining individuals attempting to join the protest.

In a video message released shortly after his detention, Badal also targeted AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of undermining democratic rights in Punjab. He claimed the Delhi leadership had taken direct control of the state to exploit its resources.

The SAD has denounced the arrest of Majithia as a “vendetta-driven” move, vowing to intensify its agitation against what it describes as authoritarian tactics by the AAP government.