Bathinda, May 8
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday tore into the BJP and communal forces while leading the third day of the ‘Shukrana Yatra’ across the Malwa region, pointing out to the saffron party’s agenda of trying to brand patriotic Punjabis as “anti-national” and conspiring to destroy the state’s centuries-old social harmony for electoral gains.
Beginning the yatra from Bathinda and paying obeisance at Sri Damdama Sahib, the Chief Minister warned that the same “politics of fear and division” unleashed in West Bengal was now being attempted in Punjab, where communal forces were trying to pit communities against each other to polarise society and capture power. The Chief Minister also asserted that Punjabis, who made the greatest sacrifices for the country’s freedom and unity, would never allow such forces to succeed in Punjab, while declaring that those involved in beadbi cases, including protectors and handlers, would now face stringent punishment under the new law, including life imprisonment and fines up to ₹50 lakh.
Addressing massive gatherings at Talwandi Sabo, Bathinda city and Kotshamir, Mann called upon Punjabis to unite against divisive forces inimical to the peace, amity and communal harmony of the state, asserting that communal politics would never be allowed to disturb Punjab’s centuries-old brotherhood. Coining the slogan “Punjab belongs to Punjabis,” Mann said, “Those trying to disturb communal harmony are enemies of Punjab. The BJP has gained power in Maharashtra, Haryana, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Bengal through divisive politics, but such conspiracies would never succeed in Punjab because people here celebrate every festival together.”
“Communal parties are conspiring to break Punjab’s brotherhood and their sinister agenda must not be allowed to succeed,” CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said. He added that these political parties want to divide Punjabis and pit communities against each other for electoral gains.
Citing the example of West Bengal, Mann said the situation there deteriorated drastically after BJP came to power and innocent people’s houses are being set on fire. “The moment BJP formed the government in West Bengal, an atmosphere of fear spread everywhere. The same conspiracy is now being hatched for Punjab,” Mann said. “First they pit two communities against each other, then they stand with one side and intimidate the other to secure votes,” he added.
