Bathinda, January 11
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann launched a strong rebuttal to the BJP over the tempering of former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi’s Delhi Assembly video, declaring it a deliberate conspiracy to provoke communal unrest in Punjab. Asserting that the secular Punjab government would not allow such designs to succeed, the Chief Minister said the video was edited with false subtitles, an act of beadbi (sacrilege), and pointed out that forensic findings have conclusively established that Atishi never used the word “Guru.”
Defending the Punjab Police action against BJP leader Kapil Mishra, CM Bhagwant Mann said the falsified clip does not figure anywhere in the official Assembly records and pointed out that the BJP is pursuing an anti-Punjab agenda on issues ranging from Chandigarh and BBMB to Panjab University, while opposition leaders, he remarked, were scrambling to defend lies in the absence of any real issue against the state government.
Addressing a press conference in Bhatinda, CM Bhagwant Mann said, “Ever since its inception, the BJP has pursued the politics of communalism, divisiveness and hatred. With the Assembly elections approaching, the party has started implementing this agenda in Punjab to divide people on sectarian lines. The BJP had morphed the video of the former Delhi Chief Minister by inserting its own subtitles. Even the forensic investigation has clearly established that the word ‘Guru’ was never used by the AAP leader.”
The Chief Minister said that misrepresenting facts to suit political needs was an old strategy of the saffron party and that this act had deeply hurt the sentiments of the Sikh sangat. “By morphing the video, they have committed sacrilege. This is intolerable and they will be punished for their sins,” he said, adding that the video being morphed was evident as the words attributed to the former Delhi Chief Minister did not appear in the official proceedings of the House.
Referring to BJP leader Kapil Mishra, Mann said, “The leader who uploaded the morphed video on social media will have to face the consequences of his actions. The Punjab Police had rightly registered a case against him. There is no issue of any Delhi Assembly privilege here. He has been booked for hurting the sentiments of the common people and he will face action strictly as per law.”
Citing the BJP’s anti-Punjab stand on issues such as Chandigarh, BBMB, Panjab University, Republic Day tableaus and other matters, Mann said the saffron party’s mindset towards Punjab was hostile. “Former CM Captain Amarinder Singh, state BJP President Sunil Jakhar and Union Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu are in an awkward situation today as they are forced to justify the BJP’s enmity towards Punjab through a bundle of lies,” he added.
The Chief Minister said the BJP and its leadership had little respect for the great Sikh Guru Sahibs, adding, “The Prime Minister never even found time to accept the invitation to attend events commemorating the 350th Shaheedi Diwas (martyrdom anniversary) of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur. Neither the Prime Minister nor any senior central leader visited Punjab to pay obeisance during these events. This reflects a narrow and myopic mindset towards Sikhs and our great Guru Sahibs.”
Mann said the Congress, Akali Dal and BJP were following the same line against Punjab and its government. “These parties even issue identical press notes at different times during the day only to spread venom against the state government,” he added.
Slamming Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Badal, CM said, “Sukhbir Badal is shedding crocodile tears over Punjab’s issues, but these are the same leaders who consented to granting central university status to Panjab University and who hailed Modi for the draconian farm laws.” He said these parties were responsible for patronising drug smugglers and gangsters in the past, adding, “Even today, they continue to give party tickets to gangsters.” Taking a jibe at former Congress Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Mann said, “Randhawa should remember that his father had congratulated former PM Indira Gandhi for Operation Bluestar. The sitting Lok Sabha MP from Gurdaspur represented the same Congress party that had carried out Operation Bluestar at the holiest Sikh shrine.”
The Chief Minister said that in the absence of any real issue against the Punjab government, opposition leaders had lost their mental balance. “Despite this, my government remains fully committed to the welfare of every section of society and no stone is being left unturned to ensure inclusive development,” he said.
