PM ‘robbing’ Punjab of its rights: Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann

Sharing his past experience as a parliamentarian, Mann exhorted all MPs and MLAs from the state to exhibit the same spirit of unity and bonhomie as demonstrated by leaders of southern states to safeguard the rights of their states while rising above vested interests and petty personal considerations.

He said MPs of states like Kerala and Andhra Pradesh come together for raising their issues in Parliament. “I often used to feel why we do not come together. I used to ask them but they said their party lines are different,” said Mann.

Lashing out at the BJP-led Centre, Mann said its leadership indulges in vendetta politics in general and especially in states like Punjab, Delhi, West Bengal, where its leadership “miserably failed” to get people’s mandate for the formation of its government.

He asked the Centre whether the states where the BJP was not in power were not part of the country.

He said in Delhi, the permission of the Lieutenant Governor is necessary for any work.

Mann said Punjab had demanded extra electricity from the central pool but it was denied, however, it was given to Haryana. “On the other hand, the PM says ‘sabka saath sabka vikas’. Where is our ‘saath’? Neither you take our ‘saath’ nor give the same to us,” said Mann.

He recalled that Punjab was asked to pay Rs 7.50 crore by the Centre for sending the military following the terror attack at the Pathankot airbase in 2016. Mann said he along with the then MP Sadhu Singh met then Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. “I told him to deduct the money from our MPLAD fund but give it in writing that Punjab is not a part of India and army is given to the state on rent. It is highly paradoxical that the border state, which is facing the brunt of terrorism is also made to pay hefty amount on account of its security,” said Mann, adding that thereafter, the sum of Rs 7.50 crore was waived.

Talking about the drug menace, Mann said that he failed to understand that why Rajasthan and Jammu & Kashmir, which share a long border with Pakistan, do not face any problem of drug abuse. Without mincing any words, he said ‘Chitta’ is being manufactured in Punjab and those involved in such heinous activities and responsible for genocide of Punjabi youth would be soon unmasked.

Targeting the BJP for questioning the intention of the resolution, Mann took a jibe at party MLA Ashwani Sharma, saying they get their speech straight from Nagpur, a reference to the headquarter of the RSS.

“I have heard a lot about ‘Nagpuri santre’ (oranges from Nagpur) but I heard ‘Nagpuri bhashan’ (address) for the first time. They get their address straight from Nagpur,” said Mann while taking a jibe at the BJP.

“You live in Punjab, you eat Punjab’s food and drink Punjab’s water then you say no, no…,” he said in an apparent dig at Ashwani Sharma for not supporting the resolution.

Without taking the name of former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, Mann said those who used to say that it was different to run a stage or a state are now not visible anywhere.

The resolution was passed by the House in the absence of the two BJP MLAs, who had staged a walkout. Except the BJP, whose state unit chief Ashwani Sharma said he doubts the intent behind the resolution, members of all political parties supported the move.

(With PTI inputs)