Can happen only in AAP govt: Puri slams Punjab govt over minister in charge of non-existent dept

New Delhi: Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri took a swipe at AAP over its Punjab minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal holding charge of a non-existent department for months, saying this was possible only in a government led by that party. Dhaliwal has been told that he is left with only the NRI Affairs portfolio as the administrative reforms department he has been holding for the past nearly 21 months did not exist, according to a Punjab government notification.

No staff was given to the minister for the Administrative Reforms department and no meeting related to it was held, sources said.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Delhi University Literary Festival, Puri said, "For 20 months, someone was heading a department that didn't even exist, this can happen only in an AAP government."


Dhaliwal was given the administrative department portfolio in May 2023 during a cabinet reshuffle when he was relieved of the Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare portfolio but retained the NRI Affairs department. The portfolio of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare had been given to Gurmeet Singh Khuddian.

Opposition parties took a jibe at the AAP government, saying this shows how much it was serious about governance.