Two months after the Punjab Government drew criticism for distributing free textbooks in carry bags featuring Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s sketch, the state is now set to distribute school bags carrying the Chief Minister’s photograph to Class XI and XII students of government schools.The school bags are yellow and blue in colour, which symbolises the Aam Aadmi Party and feature a photograph of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann wearing a yellow turban along with the Sikhya Kranti logo.In May, the government distributed free textbooks to nearly 18 lakh students from Class I to X in biodegradable carry bags, each carrying a sketch of the Chief Minister.In a letter issued on July 20, the Directorate of School Education (Secondary), Punjab, directed all District Education Officers (Secondary) to ensure the distribution of the school bags to students studying in government senior secondary schools.According to letter, the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) has already dispatched the bags to education blocks through its district-level regional offices. School heads have been asked to appoint a nodal teacher to collect the bags based on student enrolment and complete the distribution within this week.Congress MLA Pargat Singh criticised the move, stating that the AAP government is more focused on branding than education.Mohinder Kumar Kaurianwali, general secretary of the Democratic Teachers Front, said, “Many Class XI and XII students are approaching voting age. This exercise is a ‘cheap tactic of promotion’ ahead of the 2027 elections.”Despite repeated attempts, Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains remained unavailable for comment.