Sri Muktsar Sahib, January 14
On the sacred occasion of Maghi, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann visited Sri Muktsar Sahib, where he paid obeisance at Gurdwara Sri Tuti Gandi Sahib and addressed a large public gathering, reiterating the Punjab Government’s position on the tracing of 169 missing saroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. On a day deeply rooted in Sikh history and sacrifice, the Chief Minister said the tracing of the saroops was a matter of duty rather than achievement.
The Chief Minister also announced that the Punjab government would make budgetary provisions for a ₹1,000 monthly assistance scheme for women in the upcoming budget and maintained that his government has fulfilled every commitment made to the people of Punjab. The AAP leaders said the scale of participation at the Maghi gathering reflected public confidence in the government.
Addressing a political conference organised to mark Maghi, Mann said that his government has so far fulfilled every promise made to the people of Punjab. “We have honoured every commitment made to the people, and now we will start a scheme to give ₹1,000 to every woman of the state. The required budgetary provision will be ensured in the coming budget. This government is fully committed to the welfare of all, and every promise made to the people of Punjab will be fulfilled by all means,” he said.
Taking a dig at opposition parties, Mann said that previous governments suffer from weak memory and are merely waiting for their turn to plunder Punjab after elections. “The ‘jhaadu’ (broom), which is the symbol of AAP, has cleaned the political system, and that is why traditional parties are baffled. These leaders are attacking me only because I come from a common family, something they are unable to digest,” he said.
Stressing that people are supreme in a democracy, Mann said that the masses have made up their mind to teach opportunist leaders a lesson. “The massive turnout at this rally reflects the love and affection people have for the government and its policies. Other parties are also holding rallies, but Sukhbir Badal’s rally must have ended by now because hardly anyone would have gone there,” he remarked.
Mann said that even people brought in buses hired by the Akalis had joined the AAP rally. He added that the opposition is groping in the dark to defame the state government and is envious of its pro-people and pro-Punjab stance. “I will leave no stone unturned to safeguard the interests of Punjab and Punjabis at any cost,” he asserted.
Mann said that previous governments were responsible for brain drain due to flawed policies, but reverse migration has begun since his government assumed office. “The wise, brave, and hardworking people of Punjab are fully aware of the dubious character of leaders who were earlier rejected by them. Today, Punjab is making rapid progress in every field because our government has taken concrete steps for comprehensive development, including historic initiatives in health, education, and power,” he said.
Mann said that exploiting religion for vested political interests has bruised the psyche of the common people and is an unpardonable sin. “They are hand in glove with forces inimical to the Sikh Panth and Punjab,” he said, adding that the SIT probing the case of 328 missing saroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib has traced 169 saroops from a religious place near Banga, out of which 139 have no official record.
“This is not an achievement but our duty,” Mann said, adding that publishing of saroops is the responsibility of SGPC and that such institutions failed in their duty due to the Akalis. “These leaders cannot be forgiven for such sins and mischiefs,” he said.
