Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday pledged that he will not rest until the perpetrators of sacrilege of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji are not put behind the bars.
“Desecration of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji on sacred land of Punjab is a blot on us. This inhuman crime is unimaginable and unpardonable, the guilty of which can never be spared” said the Chief Minister during Mission Sunehra Punjab conclave organised by a news channel here today.
The Chief Minister said that it is unfortunate that even after passing of so many years, the guilty of this heinous crime are roaming free. Bhagwant Mann said that this has happened just because the Akalis and Congress have hobnobbed with each other to save the culprits. However, he said that the day is not far when the guilty will be behind the bars for which his government will not leave any stone unturned.
The Chief Minister said that so far the culprits have escaped the punishment with the patronisation of the successive governments. However, he said that this has discontinued after his government has been formed because they are firmly committed to punish the culprits. Bhagwant Mann said that the best officers will pursue further investigation into the case and best lawyers will contest the cases in court to ensure that perpetrators do not escape the gallows.
Describing gangsters as a national problem, the Chief Minister said that all the states will have to join hands for curbing this menace. He said that only joint efforts by all the state can help in eliminating this problem effectively. Bhagwant Mann said that his government has already evolved a foolproof strategy to combat this menace.
The Chief Minister said that there is no ‘credit war’ for elimination of organised gang as every state is sensitive towards it. He also lashed out at Congress and Akalis for promoting gangster culture in the state. Bhagwant Mann said that both these parties have patronised gangster culture for their own vested interests.
The Chief Minister said that though destiny had brought him in politics but he had been firmly committed for serving the poorest of poor. Bhagwant Mann said that he is the Chief Minister of entire state and his only target is to make Punjab a front ranking state in country. He said that strenuous efforts are being made for progress of state and prosperity of Punjabis.
The Chief Minister said that most of his Ministers may be new to political arena but their vision and dedication for state and its people is unmatched. He said that this commitment makes them stand different from the other politicians who have used the power just to plunder wealth of state. Bhagwant Mann said that those who claim to be experienced politicians now were once novice in this field adding that the spirit to serve the needy and underprivileged sections of society makes them distinct from others.
The Chief Minister further said that it is unfortunate that Punjabis are reeling under huge debt but instead of worrying about their well being the opposition leaders are worried about their own salaries. He said that as a fact of matter these politicians are not worried about their salaries but they are more concerned about the corruption in public life that has stopped now. Bhagwant Mann said that as his government has plugged in all the pilferages in public money by checking corruption due to which most of the politicians and bureaucrats now think that their original salaries are too low as compared to the money minted by them through illegal means.
The Chief Minister warned that any person who has looted even a single penny of the public will be made accountable to people. Bhagwant Mann said that he will expose all such plunderers and severest of severe action will be taken against them, as per the law. He said that it is the firm commitment of his government that corrupt leader or officer, howsoever affluent he may be, will be brought to book and made accountable for his sins.
The Chief Minister categorically said that there is no opposition in the state as people have shown them the door for their anti-Punjab stance. Citing an example, he said that people have given massive mandate to his government by giving 92 seats out of which 66 were only from Malwa region. Bhagwant Mann said that people have voted for bringing a positive change in the state by ousting Akalis and Congress.
The Chief Minister said that former Chief Ministers Parkash Singh Badal, Captain Amarinder Singh and Charanjit Singh Channi, one former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and other leaders like Navjot Singh Sidhu and Bikram Singh Majithia have been badly rejected by the people. He said that these leaders have grossly misused the political power for their own vested interests as a result of which they have been shown the door. Bhagwant Mann said that people have expressed faith in them and they will upheld it at all costs.
Lashing out at former Chief Ministers Parkash Singh Badal and Captain Amarinder Singh for their non performance, the Chief Minister said that these two leaders ruled the state for fairly long time but they didn’t construct any good hospital in state, due to which they prefer to go abroad for their treatment. He said that though both Captain and Badal secured quality treatment for them at London and New York respectively but people in state are striving hard for good treatment. Bhagwant Mann said that this is shameful on the part of both these leaders who have failed to perform for state despite of the fact that people had elected them to serve.
The Chief Minister said that he had been a votary of healthy comedy throughout his life adding that he introduced satire in Parliament to raise the public issues and bring change in the system. He lamented that those in power had snatched smile of the common due to which despite of losing first poll he continued in politics. Bhagwant Mann said that he will continue to serve the Punjabis till his last breath.
Sharing an anecdote about the poor performance of Punjab People Party (PPP) in 2012 poll, the Chief Minister said that Manpreet Badal had formed the party after a fight with his uncle Parkash Singh Badal, who was the Chief Minister of state at that time. However, Bhagwant Mann said that the former Finance Minister never uttered a single word against the misdeeds of his uncle or his government. He said that this led to poor performance of PPP in Vidhan Sabha polls after which he joined AAP.