Punjab CM Mann asks SAD chief Sukhbir Badal to 'stop boasting about fake achievements'

Chamkaur Sahib (Rupnagar), Aug 18 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday asked SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal to stop "boasting about fake achievements" of the erstwhile Akali government and asked who will take the responsibility of the incidents like the 2015 sacrilege and death of youths because of drugs.

Mann was addressing a gathering after launching several developmental projects for the Chamkaur Sahib assembly segment.

Sukhbir is very fond of "boasting" that a lot of development had taken place during their rule whereas he is "mum" over the incidents of Bargari (sacrilege incidents) and bullets fired on innocent people or the drug menace.

Notably, the incidents related to the theft of a 'bir' (copy) of Guru Ganth Sahib from Burj Jawahar Singh Wala gurdwara, putting up handwritten sacrilegious posters in Bargari and Burj Jawahar Singh Wala and torn pages of the holy book found scattered at Bargari, had taken place in Bargari in Faridkot in 2015 when the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) was in power.

These incidents had led to anti-sacrilege protests in Faridkot. In the police firing at anti-sacrilege protesters in October 2015, two persons were killed in Behbal Kalan while some were injured at Kotkapura in Faridkot.

Taking a jibe at the SAD president, Mann alleged that Badals had only worked for expanding their business without bothering about the state and its people.

The period from 2007-2017 was the "darkest" period of the state when transport, cable, sand, drug and other mafias flexed their muscles in the state, he alleged.

It is on record that the drug menace spread its tentacles after it was patronised during the Akali regime, he alleged.

The state government will adopt no leniency towards the 'Jarnails' who were the perpetrators behind the "genocide" of youth through the curse of drugs, said Mann.

These leaders not only used to patronise the drug trade across the state but, ironically, they even supplied the drugs in their official government vehicles, he alleged without naming anyone.

Mann said a thorough enquiry has reflected that these leaders "amassed" huge wealth through the drug trade, adding that the strictest punishment will be ensured for them for this crime.

Targeting the previous governments, Mann alleged that the traditional parties "mercilessly plundered" the state and its people due to which they were ousted by the Punjabis.

"All the big guns of these parties like former chief ministers Parkash Singh Badal and Charanjit Singh Channi, and Akali leaders Sukhbir Singh Badal, Bikram Majithia and others were shown the door," he said.

Besides, Mann said a foolproof mechanism has been adopted by the state government for the entire recruitment process due to which not even a single appointment out of more than 55,000 jobs has been challenged so far in any court.

He said the state government has increased the number of beds in the Chamkaur Sahib hospital from 30 to 50 and upgraded its status from a community health centre to a sub-divisional hospital.

Additionally, he said that the number of specialist doctors in this hospital has been increased from five to ten so that people can receive services from modern doctors.

Previously, Mann said, there used to be only two medical officers in this hospital, but now there will be four.

Likewise, the chief minister said, earlier, there was only one operation theatre in the hospital, but now another operation theatre has been constructed.

He said five 'Aam Aadmi clinics' and 20 Ayushman Arogya Centres have been connected with the Chamkaur Sahib hospital.

Mann said a mobile bus was also flagged off which will go to schools and help clear students' concepts in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

The chief minister said equipped with modern facilities, this bus will increase children's interest in learning and showcase interactive activities in Science and Mathematics for students from Classes 6 to 12.

He said that through this, students will also be able to perform experiments, which will spark curiosity in them.

Mann also inaugurated a new sub-divisional hospital and presented sports kits to the budding players at the stadium. PTI CHS KSS KSS