Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann launched a blistering attack on the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Congress, asserting that the era of political parties taking turns to rule Punjab is over and that those responsible for betraying the state’s trust will be held accountable. During a massive gathering during a Lok Milni in Phagwara, the Chief Minister said that while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s Jhaadu is cleaning Punjab’s political system, the Akalis and Congress, two sides of the same coin, are struggling for political survival after decades of pursuing vested interests.
Pointing out that the Akali leadership is misleading people and questioning their credibility, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that those who lied before Sri Akal Takht Sahib cannot be loyal to anyone. He further remarked that the Congress is on its death bed due to its internal infighting, while Punjab is witnessing unprecedented progress in education, healthcare, power and welfare under the people-centric governance of the AAP Government.
Addressing a Lok Milni in Phagwara, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated, “Gone are the days when these parties used to play musical chairs and wait for their turn of power. Actually, these parties safeguarded each other’s interests during their days in power due to which their misdeeds were never exposed. However, now the people have elected the Aam Aadmi Party and the symbol of this party, the jhaadu, is cleansing the political system of the state. The day is not far when the Akalis will be behind bars for their sins.”
The Chief Minister said, “Akalis and Congress are two sides of the same coin. They are not concerned about the people but are concerned only about their vested interests. They themselves executed sacrilege incidents at many places and lied before Sri Akal Takht Sahib and later agreed too. They got police officers killed during terrorism and even gave promotions to guilty police officers. They bestowed themselves with the title of Fakr-e-Qaum whereas they had facilitated the safe exit of the culprits of the 1978 incident.”
Lashing out at the Akali leadership, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “Sukhbir Badal is not aware about the ground realities because throughout his life he has lived in a secured environment with luxuries and opulence. Sukhbir Singh Badal is a convent educated political leader of Punjab who is not aware of the basic topography of the state but wants to attain political power in Punjab. Leaving everything aside, the former Deputy Chief Minister cannot even differentiate the basic crops of the state because he has scant knowledge about the basic issues.”
Referring to the issue of sacrilege, the Chief Minister stated, “Whenever incidents of sacrilege of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji took place, the psyche of millions of people was deeply hurt. The Almighty has blessed me with the wisdom and strength to bring this Bill after detailed consultation with legal experts. The state government has drafted this Bill carefully so that no future amendments or loopholes would weaken it.”
The Chief Minister further noted, “This Bill will act as a deterrent for anti-social elements to indulge in any such sin in future and no one will ever be able to indulge in this heinous crime. The Akalis were never sincere about making such a law when they were in power. The truth is that their intentions were flawed. The Akalis allowed sacrilege incidents to take place for their political gains. They even admitted their mistakes before Sri Akal Takht Sahib but later denied them publicly. Those who can lie before the Takht can never be loyal to anyone. People must remain cautious of such individuals who are not loyal to anyone and only want political power to plunder the state.”
Taking a swipe at the Congress party, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “The Congress party is on its death bed and will be finished very soon because it has no vision for the people and the state. Their only aim is to plunder the wealth of Punjab by assuming power but their dreams will never be fulfilled. The Congress party is a divided house that will collapse due to its infighting. It is a pity that the top Congress leaders who come to unite these leaders squabbling for power are not even aware how to pronounce their names.”
The Chief Minister said that the AAP Government remains committed to ensuring that the benefits of development reach every village, every farmer and every household of the state. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister announced a grant of more than ₹18 crore for the development of the Phagwara Assembly segment. The Chief Minister said, “No stone will be left unturned for the progress of the constituency.”
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann also directed the Deputy Commissioner to ensure that the ADC Phagwara is given more powers so that people of the segment do not have to travel to Kapurthala for petty works. Lok Sabha MP Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal and several other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.