"The AAP Government Has Looted ₹48,000 From Each Woman in Punjab," Says Youth Congress Leader Angad Dutta

Jalandhar, July 1, 2026: Angad Dutta, District President of the Jalandhar Youth Congress (Urban), launched a scathing attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government today, accusing them of deceiving the women of Punjab and treating a major election guarantee as a mere political gimmick.
Dutta pointed out that the AAP government assumed office on March 16, 2022, after making a flagship promise to provide financial assistance of ₹1,000 per month to women. As of July 1, 2026, the government has been in power for approximately 51 months, meaning the promised assistance amounts to a total of ₹51,000 per eligible woman.
"Now, suddenly, they are releasing just ₹3,000 to women. But what about the remaining ₹48,000?" Dutta asked. "Based on their own timeline, they owe every eligible woman ₹51,000. By paying only a fraction of that amount, the AAP government has essentially looted ₹48,000 from every woman in the state. If their intentions are genuine, they should immediately disburse the full ₹51,000 owed to each beneficiary."
Dutta strongly criticized the sudden rollout of the scheme, linking it to recent public remarks by Arvind Kejriwal that suggested the Punjab Assembly elections could be held in November 2026.
"The timing of this announcement raises serious political questions. Why has this promise been remembered only now, just months before an election?" Dutta stated. "This is a desperate attempt to fool the women of Punjab once again to secure their votes. The women of this state deserve to know whether this assistance is a genuine, long-term commitment or merely an election-time stunt. The government must guarantee that these payments will continue regularly and will not be abruptly discontinued once the elections are over."
Furthermore, Dutta raised serious concerns regarding the state's economic stability, questioning how the Punjab government plans to finance such a massive recurring expenditure when the state is already grappling with severe financial stress.
"The government must place a transparent financial roadmap before the people of Punjab," Dutta demanded. "Citizens have the right to know how this scheme will be funded, whether it is actually financially sustainable, and whether it will simply increase the crushing debt burden on our future generations."
Concluding his statement, Dutta emphasized that guarantees made to the public must be honored from day one, not just rolled out in fragments at the last minute. "Election promises should be fulfilled on time, not only when elections appear to be approaching. The people of Punjab deserve transparency, accountability, and honesty from their government," he said.