Chandigarh, Mar 10 (PTI) The BJP on Monday accused the Punjab government of influencing young minds by inserting questions about AAP in a Class 12 board examination paper.
The BJP claimed two questions on the year of AAP's founding and its policies and programmes were asked in the Political Science examination conducted on March 4 by the Punjab School Education Board.
The BJP's media head in Punjab Vineet Joshi alleged that the Bhagwant Mann government was "misusing" the education department to "influence" 18-year-olds in AAP's favour.
One of the questions asked students the year of AAP's establishment while another was about the party's policies and programmes, he alleged.
"If the students are being asked to describe AAP's policies and programmes, it implies that they have been taught about them throughout the academic year," he said.
"This raises concerns about an attempt to shape the political perspective of young voters ahead of the 2027 assembly elections," Joshi said.
He alleged that AAP was resorting to such tactics after facing electoral setbacks. "AAP, enraged by all this, is trying to influence the thinking of young voters in its favour through the education department."
He questioned why the AAP was exclusively mentioned while other significant political parties, such as the Shiromani Akali Dal, Congress and the BJP, were omitted.
"We strongly condemn AAP's political interference in Punjab's education system. The department should remain impartial and free from any political propaganda," he said.
