Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday asserted that Punjab’s journey towards becoming the number one state in every sector would continue with the support and trust of its people, saying the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has fulfilled every promise made to the people through transformative initiatives in education, healthcare, power and social welfare. During a massive public gathering in Mukerian Halqa, the Chief Minister said his politics is not about holding on to power but about ensuring the progress and prosperity of the people of Punjab.
The Chief Minister said that while his government remained focused on empowering people and delivering on its commitments, the Congress is busy fighting for power and has already declared that it would discontinue the government’s welfare schemes if voted to office. Bhagwant Singh Mann also reiterated that those responsible for the beadbi (sacrilege) of Sri Guru Granth Sahib would not be spared and would face the full force of the law.
Addressing the gathering, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated, “In the Congress, no leader stands with another because everyone wants to become the Chief Minister without bothering about the people. The Congress leadership claims that all its leaders will embark on a bus journey which will be flagged off by Rahul Gandhi. They may go together, but they certainly will not return together because everyone will be injured due to their intense infighting.”
The Chief Minister called upon the people to give the AAP such a massive mandate, on the basis of its pro-people works, that these opportunistic leaders do not get a chance to form the government and fight for the Chief Minister’s chair. “Do not hand over power to these greedy leaders because they will stop all the schemes started by the AAP government for public welfare. The Congress leaders have repeatedly claimed that if voted to power, they will discontinue these schemes,” he said.
Taking potshots at the Akali Dal, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “The Akali Dal wants to capture power by making false promises to the people, but the people of Punjab will not be misled by them. The people elected the Badals as Chief Minister five times, but they never did anything good for the state or its people.”
Taking a jibe at Akali Dal Chief Sukhbir Badal, he said, “The Akali leaders have lost their base among the people. They are using paid workers to show crowds at their rallies. The same crowd is seen at every Akali rally. These people once claimed that they would rule Punjab for 25 years, but the wise and courageous people of the state pushed them into political oblivion. These opportunistic leaders change their colours and their stand like a chameleon according to their convenience and vested political interests. The entire state knows their real face because they have always misled the people through political gimmicks.”
He said, “Those who were once considered invincible cannot even find five members to constitute a committee of their party today. These leaders patronised gangsters in the state and pushed the youth towards drugs by shielding drug smugglers. The people of Punjab will never forgive them for these sins and will once again teach them a befitting lesson. The people elected the Akalis time and again, but they betrayed the trust of the state and its people.”
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann asserted, “The Akalis are the real betrayers of Punjab because they misused religion for their vested political interests. They became affluent by usurping facilities meant for the common people. During their long rule, the state deteriorated and the mafia ruled the roost. 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 into disarray.”
The Chief Minister said that the tax money of the people belongs to the state and is being spent judiciously on their welfare. “People’s money is going back to the people through development, schools, hospitals and roads. Our government is working for the people. We have provided free electricity to 90 percent of households, government jobs to more than 68,000 youth without corruption, improved roads, closed toll plazas saving ₹70 lakh every day, and are building infrastructure across the state,” he added.
He further said, “When our government assumed office, only 22% of canal water was being used for irrigation. Today, that figure has risen to more than 88%.”
The Chief Minister said, “Recharge points have been created in canals and rivers so that the groundwater level improves. As a result, the water table has risen by two to four metres. This has been done for the well-being of future generations because Punjab stands for water and without water the state has no existence.”
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “No freebie or concession card can eliminate poverty or other social problems. Education is the key that can pull people out of this vicious cycle by improving their standard of living.”
The Chief Minister said, “Due to the strenuous efforts of the state government, Punjab has surpassed Kerala, Maharashtra and Delhi to secure the number one position in primary and middle school education. We have upgraded primary and middle schools, strengthened the education system, introduced smart classrooms and provided advanced training to teachers. As a result of these efforts, Punjab is excelling in the school education sector. The latest figures released by NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog show that Punjab has surpassed Kerala, Maharashtra and Delhi to secure the number one position in primary and middle school education.”
He further said, “For the last four years, our government has focused on teacher training, modern teaching methods and smart classrooms. Earlier, Kerala held the top position, but now Punjab has secured the number one rank with a huge margin. We will continue making such efforts in the future. Education is the light that illuminates the world by dispelling darkness. That is why our government is laying special emphasis on education.”
Highlighting the healthcare initiatives of the state government, the Chief Minister said, “We have launched the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna under which health cards are being issued to all 65 lakh families in Punjab. Every family is entitled to cashless treatment of up to ₹10 lakh. More than 30 lakh beneficiaries have already received their health cards and people have availed free treatment worth nearly ₹650 crore under this scheme. I urge every eligible family to take maximum benefit of these health cards.”
The Chief Minister pointed out, “For the first time in the history of Punjab, more than eight hours of uninterrupted electricity has been supplied to farm tubewells during the paddy season. For the first time, farmers are receiving electricity during the daytime for irrigation, which has transformed their lives.”
Talking about the Mawan Dhiyan Dheeyan Satkar Yojana, the Chief Minister said, “My government has launched this scheme under which every woman from Punjab above the age of 18 years is receiving ₹1,000 per month, while women from the Scheduled Caste category are receiving ₹1,500 per month. Eligible beneficiaries have been receiving the benefits from July 1. More than 32 lakh mothers are availing of this benefit and on August 1 their phones will once again ring with payment notifications.”
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “The state government has no shortage of funds for these ambitious schemes aimed at ensuring the welfare of the people.”
The Chief Minister said, “Those women who could not register in July will receive three months’ payment in August. This scheme will never stop. It will continue as long as the AAP government is in office.”
Describing the gathering as an opportunity to interact with the people, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “This is not a political function but a platform to interact with the people. Several governments came and went, but none of them bothered about the welfare of the people. They kept playing a game of musical chairs while plundering the wealth of the state. Then the people voted for the broom, which resulted in the complete transformation of schools, hospitals and other public services.”
Sharing a few snippets, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated on X: “The love, affection and trust I received on the sacred land of Mukerian is my greatest source of strength. We are delivering on every promise we made. Free electricity, better government schools, financial support for women, expanded healthcare services, daytime power supply for farmers, and continuous efforts for the welfare of every section of society are becoming a reality. My politics is not about holding on to power. It is about the progress and prosperity of the people of Punjab. Your trust is our greatest responsibility. Together, we will continue this journey to make Punjab Number One once again in every sphere.”
