New Delhi: Former Punjab minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan, along with his family and supporters joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday (August 26) in the presence of AAP’s national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
During this event, Arvind Kejriwal said that AAP wants to create a Punjab where there is peace and development of people of all religions and castes and that Punjab is a border state and any statement made here should be given with great care and responsibility. He said that from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, India is one and no one can separate it. At the same time, expressing happiness on joining AAP, Sewa Singh Sekhwan said that he is dedicating the rest of his life to Aam Aadmi Party and AAP Convenor Arvind Kejriwal and will do whatever he can for the party. He expressed disheartenment and said that most of his life went in the service of Akali Dal, but none of his old companions came to meet him till date.
In the presence of Aam Aadmi Party’s National Convenor and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, the entire Punjab unit of ‘AAP’, including Punjab state president and MP Bhagwant Mann, formally inducted Sewa Singh Sekhwan and his son Jagroop Singh Sekhwan into the party on Thursday and welcomed the Sekhwan family and all their supporters in the party. With his joining the party, Aam Aadmi Party will get a lot of strength in the entire Punjab, including the Majha region.
Earlier, AAP Convenor Arvind Kejriwal arrived at Amritsar airport from Delhi on Thursday morning along with Punjab in-charge Jarnail Singh and co-in-charge Raghav Chadha. From there, AAP Convenor Arvind Kejriwal, along with a convoy of a large number of AAP leaders reached the house of Sewa Singh Sekhwan, a resident of Sekhwan village in Gurdaspur district of Punjab. There he met Sekhwan, inquired about his health and welcomed the Sekhwan family to join the Aam Aadmi Party.
AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal said, “Jathedar Sewa Singh Sekhwan Ji and his entire family have shown complete dedication for the upliftment of the people of Punjab. I am new to politics. I don’t need to tell anyone the quantum of the contribution of Sekhwan and his father in the politics and development of Punjab. I got to know about his ailing health, so I came to his home to meet him and I pray that he gets fit and fine very soon. Sekhwan is very senior and respected. I am very delighted that he treated us like his own children and blessed us by joining the Aam Aadmi Party family. We wholeheartedly welcome him and request for his guidance in our endeavours. We are on a mission to bring the same kind of development to Punjab like we have in Delhi.”
“We are very new to politics. We don’t know a lot about it, but we know the value of honesty. We are here to bring development to the country and prosperity to the society. How we made excellent schools and hospitals in Delhi, how we made electricity and water free in Delhi, we want to do the same kind of work in Punjab,” he added.
Responding to a question from the media, AAP Convenor Arvind Kejriwal said that a day or two ago, he had heard some statements regarding Kashmir and the country. “I believe that from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, India is one. No one can separate us. Such statements are not correct. Punjab is a border state. If any statement is made here, it should be given very carefully and responsibly. We don’t want to do politics on these things. We want to create a Punjab where there is peace, harmony and happiness. Be it any religion or caste, there should be development for all.
“Punjab deserves peace and harmony, all-round development for all people. They deserve free education, quality healthcare and electricity. The farmers and the labourers of the state deserve justice. We are on a mission to make all of this possible in Punjab. Sekhwan’s entry into the Aam Aadmi Party will bring speed and strength to this mission,” he said.
Jathedar Sewa Singh Sekhwan said, “the rest of my life is dedicated to AAP and Kejriwal. I will do whatever I can for the Aam Aadmi Party in any form,” he said, adding that he was happy that the Delhi Chief Minister had come to inquire about his health even when he wasn’t supposed to. Expressing his displeasure about the politics of Punjab, Sekhwan said, “I have spent most of my life in the service of the Shiromani Akali Dal, but none of my old colleagues have come to see me till date.”
On his return to Delhi after visiting village Sekhwan, Arvind Kejriwal held a special meeting with Punjab leaders at a guest house in Amritsar. The meeting was attended by Punjab Party President Bhagwant Mann, Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema, Incharge of Punjab Affairs Jarnail Singh, Co-Incharge Raghav Chadha, Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh, MLA Kultar Singh Sandhwan, Sarabjit Kaur Manunke, Principal Budhram, Prof. Baljinder Kaur, Meet Hayer, Manjit Singh Bilaspur, Jai Singh Rori, Kulwant Singh Pandori, Master Baldev Singh, Amarjit Singh Sandoya, State General Secretary Harchand Singh Barsat and Secretary Gagandeep Singh Chadha.
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