After drugs, Punjab will now launch war against gangsters, says Arvind Kejriwal

“I will appear there not as a Chief Minister, but as a humble and devout Sikh. Sri Akal Takht Sahib is sacred for every Sikh and is the highest temporal seat of our community. Even though the President of the country will be visiting Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar on January 15, I will still ensure my presence before Sri Akal Takht Sahib that day,” he said.

“Any order received from there will be obeyed in true letter and spirit. The command of Sri Akal Takht Sahib was, is and will always remain supreme for me and my family,” said Mann.

“It is a matter of great pride that the AAP has won more than 70 percent of the total seats,” said Kejriwal, addressing newly elected zila parishad and block samiti members.

“Traditionally, these elections won by the ruling party through force and manipulation. Today, after four years of our government, elections were held and not even the slightest coercion was done. Look at the results. There are more than 600 seats where candidates won by less than 100 votes. Out of these, more than 350 seats were won by the opposition. There are many seats where Congress or Akali Dal candidates won by just one vote. Have you ever heard that a ruling party candidate lost by one vote?,” said Kejriwal.

“If we wanted to indulge in coercion, we could have just called the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) and got our candidate declared elected. Shifting one vote here or there is not difficult. But we did not do that,” said Kejriwal.

“They spread drugs all over Punjab. Who sells drugs? Whether it is one party or the other, it is their uncles, brothers, sons-in-law who are selling drugs, indulging in crime, and running gangs. They openly give tickets to gangsters. We did not come to do this,” he added.

On law and order, Kejriwal said after drugs, the government will launch a major campaign against gangsters. “Just like we started a war against drugs, we will start a war against gangsters as well. All gangsters and their networks in Punjab will be eliminated. We will not spare them,” he said.

He said the electoral mandate reflected performance. “After four years in government, if we win over 70 percent seats with 38 percent vote share, that 38 percent is a vote for our work, not for coercion or corruption. It is a vote for honesty and decency. Our party is a party of decent people,” said Kejriwal.

“Now it is your responsibility to take this 38 percent vote share to 45 percent in the next election. Less than 45 percent is not acceptable. You must go village to village, meet people with folded hands, without arrogance. Arrogance destroyed Akali Dal and Congress. If you become arrogant, the same will happen to use,” he added.

“Do not think that Arvind Kejriwal sitting in Delhi does not know what is happening in Punjab. We know who is working and who is not. You do not need to flatter anyone or come to Delhi or meet Mann,” he further said.

“We have sent big drug smugglers to jail. More than 28,000 cases have been registered and over 400 drug traffickers are currently behind bars. From tomorrow, go to every village and every household and tell people clearly that if they vote for these parties again, drugs will return to Punjab,” he said.

“CM Bhagwant Singh Mann has given 60,000 jobs. Show me one person who says he got a job by paying a bribe or approach,” he said.

“Earlier, when Bhagwant Singh Mann and I used to tour Punjab, we would see teachers and employees sitting on water tanks everywhere. Teachers should be in classrooms. Today, you will not find a single employee sitting on a water tank. We have fulfilled everyone’s demands,” he said, adding that after four years of AAP government in Punjab, none in the state was angry or disappointed with the ruling government.

Meanwhile, Mann, said that the “vision and dynamism” of Kejriwal has “compelled traditional political parties to rewrite their manifestos and rethink their priorities”.
“The politics of this country has changed because of Arvind Kejriwal. Education, health and electricity have come to the centre of political discourse only because of AAP,” he said.

Taking a dig at the Shiromani Akali Dal, Mann remarked that the party was struggling to find speakers for the upcoming Maghi conference at Sri Muktsar Sahib. “They do not have leaders left to address people,” he said. “I am enough alone to tackle with dinosaurs,” said Mann, in a jibe at Sukhbir Singh Badal.

Manish Sisodia said there would be no shortage of funds for rural development. “I urge you to work in coordination with panchayats to ensure that health cards of all families are prepared without any delay,” he added