Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Sunday stated that the country is facing an oil and LPG crisis due to the failure of the foreign policy of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre. He also raised serious concerns over the excessive centralisation of power in the hands of a few leaders at the Union government, warning that such a trend is dangerous for democracy.

CM Bhagwant Singh Mann further questioned Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the unchecked cross-border drug supply, asked the Union Home Minister to explain the failure of central agencies, and cautioned that the Centre’s treaty with the United States could severely jeopardise the interests of farmers. He also remarked that despite frequent foreign tours by the Prime Minister, the country is facing worsening diplomatic ties and growing economic distress.

Speaking to media persons on the sidelines of the Progressive Punjab Investors Summit,CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated, “Due to the failure of the foreign policy of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, the country is facing the oil and LPG crisis.”

He remarked that United States President Donald Trump, whom Prime Minister Narendra Modi describes as a close friend, should have consulted him before waging a full-fledged war against Iran. “However, the Union government remained unfazed about the scenario emerging out of this war, due to which the people of the country are today facing this crisis,” he added.

CM Bhagwant Singh Mann noted that the present circumstances reflect a serious lapse in the country’s foreign policy framework. “This is a clear failure of the foreign policy of the country, and it seems that there is no such policy at the current point of time,” he said.

Highlighting the Prime Minister’s frequent overseas visits, the Chief Minister said that such travel has distanced the leadership from the realities faced by people in the country. “The Prime Minister is mostly on foreign tours, due to which he is not aware of the problems faced by the countrymen,” he stated, adding that the situation currently prevailing in the country has never been witnessed before. “In a month the Prime Minister spends 15 days on foreign shores, but his relations with other countries are far away from being cordial,” CM Bhagwant Singh Mann added.

The Chief Minister said, “The country should have foreseen the LPG and oil crisis and adequate arrangements should have been done well in time to avoid any inconvenience to the general public,” he stated.

Addressing concerns about supply shortages, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann clarified, stating: “Rumours are being spread about the shortage of LPG cylinders due to the war in the Gulf, but directions have been issued to the Deputy Commissioners across Punjab to ensure that there is no shortage of essential goods,” he said.

He added that strict action would be taken against anyone attempting to exploit the situation. “If any person tries to mislead people by hoarding essential goods, then severest of severe exemplary action will be taken against them,” the Chief Minister affirmed.

He also noted that the matter had been taken up with the Union government. “I have also raised this issue with the Union government to ease the situation so that common people do not face any problem,” CM Bhagwant Singh Mann added.

Commenting on the functioning of the Union government, the Chief Minister said that excessive centralisation of authority is harmful for democratic governance. “Excessive centralisation of powers in the hands of two or three is a dangerous trend which needs to be avoided,” he stated.

CM Bhagwant Singh Mann further remarked that decision-making in the Union Cabinet has become concentrated in a few hands. “Barring two ‘big’figures, there is no Minister in the entire Union Cabinet, and even small decisions are taken by the duo which is running the country in a dictatorial manner,” he said. “This sorry state of affairs has pushed the countrymen into a quagmire of problems,” he added.

Taking strong exception to the remarks made by the Union Home Minister during his visit to Punjab on Saturday, the Chief Minister said that the statements were misleading. “It is surprising that during his visit to Punjab on Saturday, Amit Shah spoke a bundle of lies to mislead the people and defame Punjab on the drug issue,” he said. CM Bhagwant Singh Mann challenged the Union Home Minister to explain the failures of the central agencies under his control. “He must explain why the BSF and other central agencies under him have failed to check the supply of drugs from across the border,” he stated.

The Chief Minister also pointed to major drug seizures elsewhere in the country. “More than 3000 kg of drugs have been recovered from Mundra port in the native state of the Union Home Minister, but he maintains stoic silence over it,” CM Bhagwant Singh Mann added.

He further stated that the remarks made by the Union Home Minister were intended to divert attention from the Centre’s inaction. “The baseless statements made on Saturday were a cover-up exercise to hide his failures, as the Centre has done nothing concrete to check the drug menace across the country,” he said.

CM Bhagwant Singh Mann also addressed the issue of farmers, stating that the Centre’s policies are adversely affecting their interests. “The Union Home Minister shed crocodile tears over the farmers’ issue, whereas in reality the Centre government is jeopardizing the interests of farmers by signing the treaty with the United States,” he said. He cautioned that the agreement could have serious implications. “This treaty is more dangerous to farmers and their interests, and the food growers will have to face serious repercussions due to it,” the Chief Minister added.

Meanwhile, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the Punjab Government is actively engaging with leading film production houses to develop a major film infrastructure project in the state. “The Punjab Government is holding parleys with T-Series, Netflix, Yash Raj Films and others for setting up a state-of-the-art film city in Punjab,” he stated. Emphasising the cultural influence of Punjabis in the film industry, he noted, “Bollywood has always been dominated by Punjabis, and a Punjabi song in a Hindi movie is considered a guarantee for its success.”

The Chief Minister added that the Punjab Government is committed to promoting the film industry in the state. “The Punjab Government will make every effort to give a major push to post-production and shooting of Hindi movies in Punjab, and concerted efforts are already being made in this direction,” CM Bhagwant Singh Mann concluded.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Sunday assured industry leaders of full government support and incentives while addressing entrepreneurs on the concluding day of the three day Progressive Punjab Investors’ Summit in SAS Nagar (Mohali). Highlighting the strong participation of global and national investors, the Chief Minister emphasised that the summit has created the right environment for industrial growth and will accelerate the state’s economic progress. He announced that the government will hold a review session after six months to assess the progress of the investment proposals and projects finalised during the summit.

Interacting with the business tycoons on the concluding day of the landmark Progressive Punjab Investors’ Summit, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated, “Words are short to describe the dedication of those who have come here to attend this summit and become active partners in the economic progress of the state. Leading industrial tycoons from across the globe have converged at this historic and landmark summit. The best coaches are those who prepare their teams for every sort of hostile environment and challenge, and the state government has worked on the same pattern.”

Emphasising the spirit of the people of the state, the Chief Minister continued, “Punjabis are always leaders and we can do anything for the country and its people as we give top priority to the nation. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the new emergent field but the human brain is far more important than it, which is good for human resources development. It is heartening to see that businessmen are fast emerging as a key voice in policy making decisions.”

Referring to the deliberations held during the summit, he added, “Around 30 brainstorming sessions were conducted during the three days of the Progressive Punjab Investors’ Summit, which will go a long way in accelerating the economic growth of the state. Besides putting the state on a high growth trajectory, this summit will also help in creating new job opportunities for youth. This is imperative for checking brain drain from the state and ushering in a new era of progress and prosperity.”

CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated that in a democracy the Universal Adult Franchise is very important and we are very fortunate that all of us have got this right. Everyone should exercise their right to vote so that their voice is counted. It is necessary to ensure that the democratic right of every person is acknowledged for the welfare of all.

Speaking about the impact of the AAP in politics, he said, “Manifestos of other political parties have changed ever since the advent of the Aam Aadmi Party AAP, which has brought the common man to the centre stage. Earlier the agenda for the wellbeing of the common man was nowhere and hatred and divisiveness ruled the roost. If political parties get votes in the name of caste, religion or other divisions, then why would anyone vote in the name of schools, education, health or anything else?”

“Healthy competition is a must in a country and monopolistic tendencies should be discouraged by all means because monopoly is not in the interest of any society. The world is full of examples where people from humble backgrounds have conquered the world through their hard work and dedication. Students must take inspiration from such examples to prove their mettle across the globe, and the Punjab government will facilitate them in this noble cause,” he asserted.

Using the metaphor of a bouquet, the Chief Minister added, “A bouquet contains a variety of flowers and it fascinates people because of this diversity. Similarly, besides being the nation’s food bowl, Punjab also has the distinction of being the sword arm of the country. Its people are known across the world for their courage, resilience and spirit of enterprise. Every inch of this sacred land carries the footprints of great Gurus, saints, peers and martyrs who have shown us the path to oppose tyranny, injustice and oppression.”

Recalling the legacy of the state and its martyrs, he continued, “Punjab inherits a rich cultural legacy and is known across the world for its warm hospitality. The traits of Punjabis are recognised globally. Martyrs laid down their lives for the country and we are all indebted to them. It is unfortunate that there are several forces in this country who have plundered the wealth of the nation and have backstabbed the martyrs. These leaders are in a hurry to amass huge wealth through illegal means and they will not be forgiven by the countrymen.”

Referring to the governance challenges inherited by the AAP government, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “We inherited a legacy of debt, complaints and poor governance from our predecessors, but we are working to revive the state. The discussions held here have come directly from the heart and are based on mutual trust and a shared zeal to make Punjab a front runner state in the industrial sector. The earlier practice of forceful Memorandums of Understanding MoUs through arm twisting of industrialists has now ended and the focus is on ensuring massive industrialisation in the state.”

Highlighting participation by investors, he added, “Those who have participated in this summit have come on their own to become partners in the socio economic growth of the state. This will propel progress and prosperity in Punjab and create new job opportunities for the youth, while also giving a boost to industry. Our government is committed to making Punjab a vibrant, progressive and prosperous state.”

Emphasising the government’s focus on employment and industry, the Chief Minister stated that this task will soon be accomplished with the active support and cooperation of the industry. From the very first day my motive has been to create more and more jobs for the youth so that they can be weaned away from the drug menace by channelling their energy in a positive direction. I urge industrialists to act as messengers of the state and convey the key features of Punjab such as ease of doing business and the most conducive business environment to their colleagues in other states. Our motive is to ensure maximum investment in the state and make Punjab the industrial hub of the country.

Appreciating the organisers and participants, he added, “I congratulate Invest Punjab for successfully organising this event. The officers who worked tirelessly on the ground to make this event a huge success deserve great appreciation. I also express my gratitude to the captains of industry who have come here in large numbers to invest in the state. Punjab offers one of the most conducive environments for industrial growth. The state is a hub of the manufacturing sector and leads the country in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, Information Technology IT and others.”

Highlighting the entrepreneurial spirit of the people of the state, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “Punjabis are born to be number one because hard work and dedication run in their blood. Due to this spirit Punjabis have always excelled in every sphere and entrepreneurs from the state have carved a niche for themselves across the globe. The day is not far when Punjab will be on a high growth trajectory of industrial development.”

Thanking industry leaders for their participation, he stated, “I thank the business tycoons for being part of the growth story of the state. Our government is committed to realising the vision of transforming Punjab into a major industrial and export hub in the world. We want holistic economic and financial success for Punjab. I firmly believe that the key pillars of our growth are good governance, digitisation, decisiveness, transparency and sensitivity. Combined with our rich heritage, tradition and culture, these strengths create a conducive environment for people from across the globe to grow here exponentially. Punjab takes pride in playing a crucial role in India’s contribution towards strengthening the global value and supply chain through its manufacturing and infrastructure.”

On the occasion, Cabinet Ministers Sanjeev Arora, Harbhajan Singh ETO and Barinder Goyal, along with Chief Secretary KAP Sinha and others, also addressed the gathering.