Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday hit out at the AAP government in Punjab for resorting to "brazenly dictatorial high handedness to muzzle the freedom of the Press and targeting particular media houses".

"This is particularly shocking when one thinks of how precious and hard-earned money of Punjabis was squandered away on massive advertisements in newspapers outside Punjab, especially during the Assembly polls in Gujarat," he alleged, citing the "blockade" imposed by the AAP government in Punjab on advertisements to a leading Punjabi newspaper, published from Jalandhar.

Badal said his party had always led the fight for freedom of the Press from the front and will continue to do so.

In a statement here, Badal said the blockade of advertisements to newspapers, channels and web portals "that refuse to sell their conscience" to AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal and act as government and AAP spokespersons" defied constitutional commitments to ensure democratic freedom of speech.

He said the media houses that honestly portrayed truth were being singled out for harsh treatment. "All these orders come from Delhi as Bhagwant Mann and his government is a mere proxy and a rubber stamp of Arvind Kejriwal." (KB/IANS)