Ludhiana: The political controversy in Punjab over the colour of government buses and buildings intensified as the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) hit back at opposition parties accusing it of politicising public assets.
Opposition parties, including the Shiromani Akali Dal, Bharatiya Janata Party and Indian National Congress, have criticised the government over repainting buses in yellow and blue, claiming the colours are associated with the ruling party.
AAP says colour scheme started earlier
AAP spokesperson Baltej Pannu rejected the allegations and said the same colour combination was introduced during the previous SAD-BJP government.
Speaking to reporters in Ludhiana, Pannu said that in 2016 the SAD-BJP alliance government had introduced the same colour pattern for rural buses. He also claimed that the amphibious bus project announced by the Akali government also carried the same colour scheme.
“The Akali Dal may have forgotten, but people remember,” Pannu said, adding that the opposition was raising the issue because it had nothing substantial to criticise the government over.
Pannu targets Akali Dal over past controversies
The AAP leader also criticised the Akali Dal over past controversies, including incidents related to the sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib and the police firing cases at Kotkapura and Bargari.
He alleged that if the Akali leadership reflects on its past tenure between 2007 and 2017, it would recall several incidents of alleged misgovernance and violence during that period.
The row over bus colours continues to fuel political debate in the state.
