Bhagwant Mann mirrors Modi, writes to Punjab government scheme beneficiaries, seeks feedback
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann’s letter to a man from Batala in Gurdaspur has gone viral, where he congratulated him on getting a government job but also asked if he had paid a bribe or used influence to get it.
3 min read
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann.Taking a cue from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose letters to beneficiaries of various central schemes have often gone viral on social media, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has also started writing letters to recipients of state government schemes, like the provision of 300 units of free electricity to residents and the creation of over 50,000 jobs for the youth.
Government sources said that a decision has been taken to write 50,000 to 55,000 letters to beneficiaries of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s schemes. “These letters would be the CM’s direct contact with the people. He will be writing to the people not only to make a point and take feedback, but also to make them brand ambassadors of the government in a way,” said a source privy to developments.
The government began sending out the letters last week, and on Monday, Mann’s letter to Gurtinder Singh, a youth from Batala in Gurdaspur, went viral. In the letter written in Punjabi, the chief minister has congratulated Gurtinder for getting a government job, but also asked him if he had paid any bribe or used anyone’s influence to get it.
Loosely translated, the letter states, “I am very happy that you have got a government job after our government came to power in Punjab. Congratulations to you and your family. I want to ask whether you needed any recommendations to get this government job? Did you have to pay money to get a job? Did you get the job without recommendation and without money?”
“Before us, Congress and SAD-BJP took turns to rule the state. I want you to tell me whether jobs were available without bribe or recommendation during their governments? Do you believe that this is for the first time in Punjab that children from common families are getting jobs on the basis of their merit? I will wait for your answer. You can send your answer through WhatsApp on 9876761515,” the letter further states.
A source said that while the decision to write to people directly was debated by the leadership of the party five to six months ago, it was only implemented now when the party’s stock in the state was hit after the introduction of the land pooling policy and Delhi leader Manish Sisodia’s ‘Saam Daam Dand Bhed’ remark.
“You can say it is damage control. But once a youth who has a government job gets the CM’s letter, he will certainly be buoyed. He will influence voters also that this government is doing a good job. Everybody remembers how Modi’s letter to Meera Devi, a beneficiary of the Ujjwala scheme, had gone viral. Everybody was sharing it,” said the source.
The state government is also keeping a close watch on the outreach programme of BJP leaders, who are going to villages to rope in people for the Centre’s direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme. The government had tried to obstruct the camps being organised by the BJP by detaining the leaders and not allowing them to hold the camps.
You May Like
