In a recent political development that has sparked a social media frenzy, Punjab Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal has been found to have headed the non-existent Department of Administrative Reforms for nearly twenty months. This revelation came to light after a government reshuffle, leading to widespread criticism of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab government for its oversight.
According to a Punjab government notification released on February 21, 2025, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal’s portfolio has been reshuffled. He will now solely oversee the Department of NRI Affairs, while the Department of Administrative Reforms, which he had been heading for the past 20 months, has been officially acknowledged as non-existent. No staff had been allocated to the department, and no meetings had been held during Dhaliwal’s tenure at the helm, according to reports from The Tribune.
This oversight has led to a wave of criticism on social media, with users mocking the AAP government under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Several social media users shared their reactions, questioning the credibility of the Punjab government. One user, Amitabh Chaudhary, expressed his frustration by writing, “Elect a clown and expect a circus. Punjab government under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on instructions of Super Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal made Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal the minister of ‘Administrative Reforms.”
Another social media user posted, “Such an oversight not only reflects poorly on the government’s internal processes but also undermines public trust. This is embarrassing and completely unacceptable.” Many also took to social media to express their disappointment, with one user remarking, “I am not shocked at all. This can happen in a party whose top leadership was in jail under corruption charges. ‘Ham Politics badalne aae hain ji,’” referencing the AAP’s claims of bringing change to politics in India.
The fiasco has brought unwanted attention to the AAP government’s administrative practices. Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, who is among the senior-most ministers in the Punjab Cabinet, had previously held the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare portfolio. However, he was relieved of that responsibility in May 2023 and retained his position overseeing NRI Affairs, with the additional but ultimately non-existent Department of Administrative Reforms. The lack of action within the department and its subsequent dissolution has raised questions about the efficiency and organizational structure of the Punjab government under AAP’s leadership.
