Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Monday said that the people of Punjab have not forgotten how the Badal family and the Akali leadership repeatedly compromised the state’s interests, supported the three black farm laws, misused religion for political gains and allowed the drug menace to flourish in Punjab. Interacting with people during a Lok Milni programme at Panjgrain Kalan village in Faridkot, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that while previous governments pushed Punjab towards drugs, unemployment and decline, the AAP Government is transforming the state through strict action against drug smugglers, transparent government recruitment, historic reforms in education, universal healthcare and women-centric welfare schemes.
The Chief Minister asserted that every action of those who betrayed Punjab and its people will be brought before the public, while the present government remains focused on building a healthy, educated and prosperous Punjab.
Addressing the gathering, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann, accompanied by Speaker of Punjab Vidhan Sabha Kultar Singh Sandhwan, said that the Badal family has ruled the state for a long period of time and had always hatched conspiracies to weaken the state. “The sole agenda of the Badals has been to secure their own interests by compromising those of the state and its people. These are opportunist leaders who change their colours and their stance like a chameleon as per their convenience and vested political interests,” he added.
The Chief Minister said that people had elected the Akalis but they proved to be traitors and had always backstabbed the state and its people. “When the entire farming community was fighting for its rights, the Akalis supported the Modi Government on the draconian farm laws merely to save their berths in the Union Ministry. The Akalis misused religion for their vested political interests and the people can never forgive them for this,” said CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.
Citing another example, the Chief Minister said that these leaders have long befooled the people by projecting themselves as farmers. “They should explain how any food grower can acquire a huge fleet of buses and a lavish hotel in Gurgaon. All these assets have been accumulated because they sold the interests of the state and its people for their vested political interests,” he said.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the Akalis were responsible for the genocide of generations because the drug trade was patronized by them and flourished during their long misrule. The Chief Minister said that the hands of these leaders are drenched with the blood of millions of youth who fell prey to drugs that were supplied in the state through official vehicles. “The sins of these leaders are unpardonable and they can never be forgiven by the people for their long saga of misdeeds. Those responsible for beadbi appeared before Sri Akal Takht Sahib and admitted their crime in full public view,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that when it no longer suited their political ambitions, they took a U-turn. “However, the entire state knows the real face of these leaders who have always misled the people through political gimmicks. These leaders patronized gangsters and infused drugs into the veins of Punjab’s youth by shielding drug smugglers. The people will never forgive the Akalis for their sins and will once again teach them a befitting lesson. Time and again people elected them, but they repeatedly betrayed Punjab and its people,” said CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.
The Chief Minister reiterated that the Akalis misused religion for their vested political interests and therefore cannot be forgiven by the people.
He said that even late Parkash Singh Badal never made Sukhbir Singh Badal the head of the state because he knew that the former Deputy Chief Minister would put Punjab in disarray. CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that Sukhbir Singh Badal is not aware of the ground realities because throughout his life he has lived in a protected environment surrounded by luxuries and opulence.
He quipped that Sukhbir Singh Badal is not even aware of the basic topography of the state but still wants to attain political power in Punjab. “Leaving everything aside, the former Deputy Chief Minister cannot even differentiate between the basic crops of Punjab because he has scant knowledge about the state’s core issues. On the other hand, the Punjab Government has taken several initiatives to ensure the well-being of the state and prosperity of its people,” said CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.
Speaker of Punjab Vidhan Sabha Kultar Singh Sandhwan and others were also present on the occasion.