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Taking a dig at Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring’s recent controversial statements on Buta Singh, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said on Sunday that the way they are giving statements, a new expense is knocking at the door as the Punjab government will have to open a “mental asylum” in the state in the coming days.
“The state Congress chief has lost his mental balance, due to which he is making irresponsible and irrational statements. Such frivolous statements are not made by a normal or sensible person. He is sensing his party’s inevitable defeat in the Tarn Taran by-poll due to which he is indulging in such acts,” Mann lambasted Warring.
Ludhiana MP Warring faced a backlash after the videos of the speech, where he referred to Buta Singh’s community Mazhabi Sikhs and “his complexion”, went viral. Subsequently, Warring was booked at the Cyber Crime police station in Kapurthala, following a complaint lodged by Buta Singh’s family members. Taking suo motu cognisance of the remarks, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes seeks an action taken report from authorities in Tarn Taran within seven days.
Mann said, “Words I said in the past often become a reality. A few years ago, I had said that all of them would become mad by 2025-26, and that’s what happened. Sarkaari pagal khaana banana paina, hun nawan kharch khada houga (we will now have to open a government mental asylum, and it will be a new financial burden). I know it will put more burden on the state exchequer, but there is no other option. People are saying send them to Rohtak, but why would other states admit our patients? The way they are giving statements, a new expense is knocking at our door. No normal person can say all this.”
Flagging off the first batch of buses, ferrying devotees to pay obeisance in Amritsar under the Mukh Mantri Tirath Yatra Scheme, from his Assembly constituency of Dhuri in Sangrur district, Mann said, “This pilgrimage is dedicated to the 350th martyrdom anniversary of the ninth Guru Tegh Bahadur. The scheme was launched at Bararwal village on October 29, and the selection of these devotees is done transparently through a draw of lots.”
Mann said the initiative fulfils the heartfelt wishes of elderly people who have long desired to visit sacred religious sites. “Under the scheme, devotees will be taken to visit Sri Harmandir Sahib, Durgiana Temple, Bhagwan Valmiki Tirath Sthal, Jallianwala Bagh, Partition Museum and other historical places in Amritsar.”
Mann said the pilgrims would be provided with AC buses, AC hotel accommodations and free of cost meals. He said that each bus would have an attendant to assist the passengers and a medical team to provide immediate assistance in case of any emergency.
The chief minister warned that “declining credibility” of the Election Commission of India could prove “fatal for democracy”. “The EC should clarify its position if a political party is raising questions over EVMs and vote theft, but the EC is mum and the BJP is acting as its mouthpiece, which is very wrong.”
Mann said the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre was desperate for “a backdoor entry to the Panjab University, Chandigarh, which would not be allowed.”
“Since its inception, PU has been part of the emotional, cultural, literary and rich legacy of Punjab, but regular attempts are being made to change the status of the university. The Punjab government will not allow any such move in the larger interests of the students,” the chief minister said.
The chief minister accused the BJP of suffering from “anti-Punjab syndrome” and hell bent on ruining the state.
Mann said, “Congress leaders, who joined the BJP for a ministerial berth, are mere ornamental ministers as they don’t have any power to sanction any project. Leaders like Jyotiraditya Scindia, Ravneet Bittu and others hardly have any power to give any project.”
Mann said that Punjab did not receive the Rs 1,600 crore announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the flood relief.
“Farmers have suffered a whopping loss during the recent floods, and the state government is providing two lakh quintal seeds worth Rs 74 crore free of cost to them. The process to distribute seeds free of cost among farmers of flood-affected districts has started and will be completed soon. Besides, the state government has also disbursed compensation worth Rs 20,000 per acre to the farmers for crop loss, which is the highest ever given by any state government in the country,” Mann added.
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