A day after a major political churn saw six Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MPs – Ashok Mittal, Raghav Chadha, Harbhajan Singh, Vikramjit Sahney, Rajinder Gupta, and Sandeep Pathak – switch to the Bharatiya Janata Party, environmentalist MP Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal has emerged as the lone holdout from the state.
On Saturday, talking to The Indian Express, he said some of the MPs who defected had, in the past, informally suggested that he “sit together” or engage more closely, though no direct conversation on defection took place. “It was casual talk, nothing specific. I never paid attention,” he said.
“They can’t dare ask me to join any other party,” Seechewal said, reacting sharply to the defections. “I am not afraid of losing any position – neither within the party nor outside. I never asked for this post.”
Drawing a distinction, Seechewal pointed out that while most defectors were nominated from Delhi, he was chosen by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. He added that he had initially declined the Rajya Sabha offer multiple times due to his environmental commitments before eventually accepting it.
Calling the switch “opportunistic,” he said the defectors “never considered me their colleague” and were often uncomfortable with his working style. “My presence in the Rajya Sabha, my questions on Punjab’s issues, and my work on the ground did not suit many of them,” he said, referring to his involvement in projects like Buddha Nullah cleaning and flood relief during 2023 and 2025.
He also recalled that during the first press conference of AAP MPs in Delhi as an MP, there was hesitation in accommodating him alongside other party leaders – an early indication, he suggested, of the disconnect.
“I was never allowed to speak on any bill passed in Parliament by my own party leader,” he said while indirectly criticising Raghav Chadha, who was the Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha.
Taking a swipe at those who left, Seechewal said, “They had power, but what have they done for the public? They left when their power was snatched or they faced any danger to their businesses. But I have nothing to be afraid of. My only mission is raising Punjab-specific issues consistently on the floor of Parliament and utilising MP funds for public welfare.”
From Kali Bein to Parliament
Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal’s public life has been rooted in grassroots action. Known for reviving the 165-km Kali Bein – once reduced to a sewage drain – he earned global recognition, including mention by Time magazine, and was awarded the Padma Shri for his environmental work.
Beyond conservation, he has handled humanitarian cases, helping bring back over a hundred Punjabis – especially women stranded in Arab countries due to trafficking – and facilitating the return of youth trapped abroad. During Punjab’s floods in 2023 and 2025, he remained on the ground for weeks, coordinating relief efforts.
Born in Seechewal village of Jalandhar district, he was influenced by a religious leader and social reformer, Sant Avtar Singh, and began his environmental mission in 2000 by mobilising volunteers to clean Kali Bein without government aid. His model later found mention in discussions around the Ganga Rejuvenation Project and was acknowledged by former President APJ Abdul Kalam, who visited Kali Bein (now Holy Bein) multiple times and spoke about Seechewal’s work on national and international platforms.
Through the Ik Onkar Charitable Trust, Seechewal developed village infrastructure, including sanitation, water supply, and education facilities.
Since entering the Rajya Sabha in 2022, Seechewal has maintained one of the highest attendance records among Punjab MPs, actively participating in Zero Hour and Question Hour, and raising issues related to water, agriculture, MSP, and rural distress. He also ensured the availability of parliamentary documents in Punjabi.
His MP funds have been directed towards water tank distribution in scarcity-hit villages, medical aid, and support for persons with disabilities, along with backing a Rs 1.19-crore Chiti Bein project.
“At a time when political alignments are shifting rapidly, Seechewal’s stand underlines a different approach – one defined less by party movement and more by continuity of work,” said an AAP leader from Punjab on the condition of anonymity.
Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal. (File Photo) 
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