Punjab CM targets opposition, asks Congress to join fight against BJP
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann claimed that his government had brought the state’s finances back on track and this budget is a reflection of that direction
Chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday launched a scathing attack on BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for “calling free education, power and health being provided by Aam Aadmi Party governments as freebies.”
Without naming Prime Minister directly, Mann while speaking on the debate on the annual general budget on Saturday, said ‘Badde Saheb’ of BJP calls the model of free power, health and education given by his government and Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government to the common man as a rewari culture.
“If these services provided through taxes collected from the common men are rewaris, then was the announcement of providing ₹15 lakh into every Indian’s account and 2 crore jobs every year a papad,” Mann said.
Referring to a WhatsApp message sent to him by someone about the Prime Minister, Mann said, “The message said Badde Saheb used to tell that when he was a kid, I (Modi) used to sell tea in a rail coach and when I grew up, I sold the entire railway. Rail Bechdi, Tel Bech Diya, Bank Bechta, Sab Kuch Bech Diya, Buss Ek Cheez Kharidi Wo Hai Thoda Sa Media (Sold Rail, Oil and Banks and the one thing, he bought was media).”
Referring to Pathankot MLA and state BJP chief Ashwani Sharma’s comments during the debate on budget over the increase in Central Government’s aid to Punjab, Mann said it’s not alms.
“Are we begging? It is our money and it’s our right. We give our money to the Centre in form of collecting GST and the Centre gives it back to us,” said the chief minister. Mann also criticised Modi for implementing GST and demonetisation.
“Businessmen still have not been able to understand what GST is. It was implemented at midnight same as demonetisation,” Mann said.
Mann said nowadays BJP is claiming that they love Punjab more than anybody else.
“Does Union Budget has even a reference to Punjab? If they love Punjab so much, why didn’t they allow Punjab’s tableau on January 26? Can someone imagine India without Punjab? The fact is that BJP just wants to see one colour in the country,” the chief minister added.
Exhorting the primary opposition party Congress to get united against the BJP, Mann said it should not criticise everything the Punjab Government does.
Quoting in Punjabi, while asking the Congress to unite against the common enemy (BJP), Mann said, “Jede Rog Naal Bakri Mar Gyi Ohi Rog Pathure Nu (The ailment with which Goat died same disease is struck to her male child).”
“The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is here also and is breaking your state governments (Congress’ governments) as well. Neither do they allow you to speak nor us. They have suspended your Rajya Sabha members from the house and ours too. At times you run to the governor against us. Let’s go together to the President against them,” Mann asked the Congress members.
Takes potshots at Manpreet Badal
Mann also took potshots at former finance minister Manpreet Badal, calling him an outsourced finance minister.
“I know when he became finance minister Raja Warring and Sukhjinder Randhawa must have pleaded before the high command not to hand over the charge to him. But he presented five budgets in your government and fled to BJP leaving you all to face our criticism,” Mann said.
He also referred to Manpreet as the finance minister who would talk about poets Mirza Ghalib and Allama Iqbal to Phillippines and Gaza Strip in the Punjab budget.
Mann claimed that his government had brought the state’s finances back on track and this budget is a reflection of that direction.
Channi lied about cancelling his USA visit
The chief minister said former CM Charanjit Channi lied about cancelling his visit to the United States and took shelter in religion to show himself as innocent.
“A lookout circular was issued against Channi three days before he cancelled his US visit. Someone in Congress pointed out why principals were sent to Singapore for the training and not to the US. I want to tell them, we first want to see what your principal for three months (Channi) learned during his stay in the US. I learned his PhD thesis was about the rise and downfall of Congress. I want to tell him that he was one of the reasons behind your (Congress’) downfall in the state,” Mann said.
Punjab Vigilance Bureau issued a lookout circular against Channi on Friday, who is being probed for allegedly amassing wealth more than his known sources of income.
