In a spirit of humility and devotion, Punjab’s Sikh MLAs and Ministers, on Monday, appeared barefoot before Sri Akal Takht Sahib after paying obeisance at Sri Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar. Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan and Cabinet Minister Harpal Singh Cheema reiterated their profound reverence for the supreme temporal seat of the Sikhs and said the Punjab Government would give due consideration to the suggestions received while fully upholding the dignity and sanctity of Sri Akal Takht Sahib.

Addressing the media after paying obeisance at Sri Harmandir Sahib and appearing before Sri Akal Takht Sahib along with Cabinet Ministers and MLAs, Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan said that he had been blessed with the opportunity to seek the blessings of Guru Ram Das Ji and to participate in a meaningful discussion with the respected Jathedar Sahib. “I was fortunate to pay obeisance at Sri Harmandir Sahib and, prior to that, to appear before Sri Akal Takht Sahib following an invitation from the Jathedar Sahib. Along with Punjab Cabinet Ministers and MLAs, we had a long, meaningful and constructive discussion with the respected Jathedar Sahib. I pray that Guru Sahib continues to shower His blessings upon all of us,” he said.

Emphasising the immense respect commanded by Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan said, “Sri Akal Takht Sahib is a sacred institution that holds immense reverence in the hearts of the people of Punjab as well as the Punjab Government. We have the highest respect for the Jathedar Sahib, this institution, the Sikh Panth and Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.”

He said that, keeping in view the dignity and sanctity of the institution, it would not be appropriate to disclose the details of the discussions held. “The matters discussed at Sri Akal Takht Sahib will be conveyed to the government for due consideration. However, respecting the maryada and dignity of this sacred institution, it would not be appropriate to go into the details of the discussions,” he added.

Meanwhile, Cabinet Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that the Jathedar Sahib of Sri Akal Takht Sahib has granted the Punjab Government one month’s time to examine the proposed amendments and suggestions.

He said that the proposed amendments and recommendations would be formally communicated to all through the Speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. “Once the proposed amendments are received from Sri Akal Takht Sahib, the government will examine them in detail and, after due deliberation, take an appropriate decision,” he said.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Sunday announced that the Qadian Halqa (constituency) will be upgraded to a Sub-Division, fulfilling a long-pending demand of the people and ensuring that all key government services are available under one roof through a modern administrative complex. During a special public programme in Qadian, he also called out the Akali leadership, saying they intimidated people to secure votes and looted Punjab for years.

Calling upon Punjabis to unite against “thieves, looters and thugs,” CM Bhagwant Singh Mann urged people to wield the ‘Jhaadu’ decisively in the 2027 elections so that the Opposition never gets another opportunity to pollute the state. The Chief Minister also assured farmers that the pending sugarcane dues of Kiri Sugar Mill would be cleared soon, highlighted his government’s pro-people initiatives, including zero electricity bills for 90% of households and ₹10 lakh cashless health cover for 47 lakh families, and appealed to people to join hands in rebuilding a vibrant and prosperous Rangla Punjab.

Sharing a few snippets from this programme, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated on X: “Heartfelt thanks to the people of the brave land of Majha and the Qadian constituency for the overwhelming love and affection. Fulfilling a long-pending demand of the people, I have announced that Qadian will now be made a Sub-Division. The SDM, DSP, and ADC offices will function from the same modern building, putting an end to the inconvenience faced by people in accessing government services. To accelerate the constituency’s development, Gurikbal Singh Mahal has been appointed as the new Sevadar.”

“The era of exploitation by traditional political leaders is now over. Today, 90% of households in Punjab have zero electricity bills, and 47 lakh families have already received ₹10 lakh cashless health treatment cards. Let us all come together to rebuild a vibrant and prosperous Punjab,” the post concluded.

Addressing a massive gathering, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated, “The huge gathering here reflects that the people of Qadian are eagerly waiting to bring about a change and free this constituency from a family that has ruled it for decades. Successive governments ignored the development of Punjab’s border region, but our government has made every possible effort to ensure its progress. The people living along the border are true patriots who have always stood firmly with the nation, and our government is fully committed to their welfare.”

The Chief Minister said, “The smugglers who have long represented this Assembly segment have ruined generations of Punjab. The people must teach them a fitting lesson in the forthcoming Assembly elections.”

CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “We grew up eating biscuits made in neighbourhood bakeries, whereas these leaders, educated in elite convent schools in the hills, consumed gold biscuits smuggled by their fathers. They have neither any ideology nor any commitment to public service. Their only objective has always been to capture power. The time has come for the people to understand the difference between bakery biscuits and gold biscuits.”

He said, “These royal leaders have nothing in common with ordinary Punjabis. Their cars, clothes and lifestyle are completely different from ours. Those who represented this area in the Vidhan Sabha, Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha never worked for its development. Instead, they imposed tolls on roads and burdened the people. Even their own house stands divided, with flags of different political parties flying over it.”

CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “My name has become a nightmare for the leaders of the traditional parties because I have exposed their misdeeds before the people. They cannot digest the fact that the son of a common man is successfully governing Punjab. The people have already rejected these leaders because they always cared more about their families than Punjab and Punjabis.”

Announcing that Qadian would soon be made a Sub-Division, the Chief Minister said, “All formalities will be completed shortly so that people no longer have to wait for their work. The Shiromani Akali Dal is a sinking ship, and even its sensible leaders are leaving the party in the interest of the people. For years, people voted for the Akalis believing they represented the sacred Takdi of the great Gurus, but they looted the people and took an illegal share from every flourishing business.”

The Chief Minister said, “The Akalis, Congress and BJP know they cannot compete with me politically. That is why they have joined hands to defame me on religious issues through fake videos. The Akali leadership mercilessly looted Punjab and committed countless unforgivable excesses against the common people. They patronised mafias that devastated the state and can never be forgiven for encouraging the drug trade, which destroyed generations of Punjab during their long tenure in power.”

The Chief Minister said, “Our government is constructing more than 43,000 kilometres of link roads across Punjab, and contractors have been made responsible for their maintenance. We are ensuring that every single penny from the state exchequer is utilised judiciously for the welfare of the people and the overall development of Punjab.”

CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “Today, more than 90% of households in Punjab are receiving free electricity. For the first time, farmers are also getting uninterrupted power supply during the daytime, which was once considered impossible.”

The Chief Minister said, “The tax money collected from the people belongs to them, and our government is spending it honestly on their welfare. Every rupee is being invested in development, better schools, quality healthcare, improved roads and public infrastructure. The people’s money is now reaching the people instead of filling the pockets of a few.”

Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “Our government has provided free electricity to households, given government jobs to more than 68,000 youth without any corruption, improved the road network, closed toll plazas saving people nearly ₹70 lakh every day, strengthened education and healthcare, built modern infrastructure and taken several other historic initiatives for the welfare of Punjab.”

The Chief Minister said, “When our government assumed office, only 22% of canal water was being utilised for irrigation in the state. Today, that figure has increased to more than 80%, ensuring greater water availability for farmers while reducing dependence on groundwater.”

CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “Our government is working tirelessly for the development of villages, and grants are being released to ensure that every village witnesses all-round progress.”

The Chief Minister said, “To steer our youth away from the menace of drugs, the Punjab Government will dedicate 3,100 newly built stadiums across the state by July 15. Promoting sports is one of the strongest weapons in our fight against drugs because it channels the limitless energy of our youth towards excellence and nation-building.”

CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “Our government has also launched a massive campaign to rejuvenate village ponds across the state. An elaborate plan has already been prepared to clean these ponds, treat the water and utilise it for agricultural purposes. This initiative will help reduce the pressure on rapidly depleting groundwater while strengthening sustainable irrigation across Punjab.”

Expressing satisfaction over the success of the Punjab’s ongoing ‘Yudh Nashean Virudh’, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Monday directed Deputy Commissioners (DCs), Commissioners of Police (CPs) and Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) to further intensify the Yudh Nashean Virudh campaign until Punjab is completely freed from the scourge of drugs.

Chairing a virtual review meeting to assess the functioning of the Village Defence Committees (VDCs), the Chief Minister asserted that the campaign has broken the backbone of the drug menace by snapping supply lines and putting major drug smugglers behind bars. Stressing that there can be no let-up in the drive, he called for stronger grassroots action, greater public participation and confidence-building measures in villages to sustain the momentum and secure a decisive victory against drugs.

Sharing a few snippets from this meeting, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated on X: “Today, from the Lake View Guest House in Bathinda, I chaired an important review meeting through video conference with all Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) as part of the ‘Yudh Nashean Virudh’ campaign. Strict directions have been issued to all officers to intensify ground-level action for the complete eradication of drugs. Action against drug traffickers is continuing relentlessly under our Zero Tolerance policy. Saving Punjab’s youth is our highest priority. Let us all unite to make Punjab drug-free and take the state to new heights of progress.”

During this, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated, “The supply line of drugs has already been snapped and the big fish involved in this heinous crime have been put behind bars. However, the momentum of this campaign has to be maintained and the need of the hour is to intensify it further until Punjab is completely free from drugs.”

CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the members of the Village Defence Committees have been performing their responsibilities effectively and have lodged more than 13,000 complaints against drug smugglers during the last three months alone. “In districts where the Village Defence Committees are comparatively less active, they should be encouraged to actively participate in this mission of public importance. Meetings of Village Defence Committees must be organised every month in every district and I will personally review their performance in monthly state-level meetings,” he said.

The Chief Minister said that drug abuse is a global phenomenon, but nowhere in the world has such a determined and vigorous campaign been launched against it. “In an unprecedented initiative, a 1.50 lakh-strong force of Village Defence Committee members has been constituted to make Punjab drug-free. Public participation is essential because the fight against drugs has to become a mass movement. Drug addiction is a social problem and people’s involvement is equally important for ensuring the sustainability of this campaign,” he added.

CM Bhagwant Singh Mann asked the DCs and SSPs to secure wholehearted support and cooperation from every section of society to ensure that no drugs are sold in their respective areas and every drug victim is brought out of addiction. “As a confidence-building measure, police teams should regularly visit villages and interact with residents to understand the ground situation. The identity of Village Defence Committee members or any citizen providing information about drug smugglers must remain strictly confidential,” he said.

The Chief Minister said that the state government has concentrated on dismantling the supply chain of drugs by arresting drug peddlers and sending them behind bars. “As the noose has tightened around drug smugglers, the supply line has been disrupted, resulting in a larger number of victims approaching de-addiction and rehabilitation centres. Therefore, the government has established an extensive network of de-addiction and rehabilitation centres to detoxify addicts and enable them to lead lives of dignity and self-respect,” he said.

CM Bhagwant Singh Mann further said that under the ongoing Yudh Nahean Virudh, the capacity of existing de-addiction and rehabilitation centres has been substantially enhanced. “Several new centres have been established and the quality of services and overall environment at existing centres has been significantly improved, including the provision of air conditioning. The number of beds in government-managed de-addiction and rehabilitation centres has been increased from 1,500 to 5,000,” he added.

The Chief Minister said that the Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment (OOAT) centres have also been upgraded and uninterrupted availability of essential medicines has been ensured. “New OOAT centres have been established wherever required, increasing their total number from 529 to 565. Officers must personally ensure adequate availability of medicines, consumables and beds at all OOAT and de-addiction centres under their jurisdiction,” he said.

Highlighting the Soorma initiative, CM bBhagwant Singh Mann said that the unique programme recognises individuals who have successfully overcome drug addiction and remained sober for more than two years. “These Soormas will now work alongside the government as Ambassadors of Recovery to inspire others to overcome addiction and help make Punjab completely drug-free,” he said.

The Chief Minister said that this initiative reflects the unwavering commitment of the state government to eradicate drug abuse, which has plagued Punjab for several years. “These individuals represent the true spirit of Yudh Nahean Virudh. Their hard work, resilience and determination show the path towards a Rangla Punjab. They are our ambassadors of hope, and the government will continue investing in de-addiction centres, skill development and efforts to eliminate the stigma associated with addiction so that every recovering individual can rebuild a life of dignity and secure better livelihood opportunities,” he added.

CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this is a historic moment as the state government has adopted a zero-tolerance policy against drugs and launched a decisive crusade against the menace. “Punjab Police has a glorious history of successfully tackling challenging law and order situations. I am confident that the force will uphold this proud tradition and make Punjab completely drug-free with the active support and cooperation of the people. This is the need of the hour to protect future generations from the scourge of drugs,” he said.

The Chief Minister said that the war against drugs can only be won through meticulous planning and effective execution at the micro level, for which every officer has to play a proactive role. “The state government is making concerted efforts to channelise the boundless energy of Punjab’s youth in a positive direction. This is an extraordinary battle and it requires innovative thinking and out-of-the-box initiatives from the government as well as every officer associated with this mission,” he added.