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Tag: Bhagwant Mann

  • Descendants of traitors are now questioning credentials of martyrs: Punjab CM Mann

    By PTI

    SANGRUR: Days after SAD (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Mann called freedom fighter Bhagat Singh a “terrorist”, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday said no one has any right to question the contribution of great martyrs for the motherland.

    The Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) chief, who is also the MP from Sangrur, has been under fire for his controversial remark.

    He had even defended his remark on Bhagat Singh.

    Addressing the gathering during a state-level function to mark the martyrdom day of Shaheed Udham Singh here on Sunday, Chief Minister Mann, without naming anyone, said it is unfortunate that those who swear by the Constitution to enjoy fruits of power raise a question mark on the supreme sacrifice of the martyrs.

    The AAP leader alleged that “when our great national heroes and martyrs were waging war against the atrocious British regime, some traitors were siding with the imperialist forces”.

    Those people who had felicitated the British had bruised the psyche of every freedom fighter and martyr, an official release quoted the chief minister as saying.

    “It is unfortunate that descendants of such traitors are now questioning the credentials of martyrs. Questioning the credentials of martyrs to eulogize the atrocities of British is a sin and those indulging in such heinous acts are doing an unpardonable crime,” he said.

    Bhagwant Mann said great martyrs like Shaheed Bhagat Singh do not need recognition from anyone because merely his name is enough to inspire millions of people to sacrifice their lives for the country.

    Any controversy on his name and contribution in the freedom struggle is “undesirable”, he stated, adding these martyrs had laid down their lives for the freedom of the country and no one has any right to question his role in the Independence movement.

    He trained his guns on former chief minister Amarinder Singh, a scion of the erstwhile Patiala royal family.

    “The royal family of Patiala has a lineage of anti-Punjab stance,” he alleged.

    “What good of Punjab can be expected from these people who were hand in glove with the British at the time when Bhagat Singh, Udham Singh and others were fighting for the country,” Bhagwant Mann alleged.

    READ HERE | Chimanlal Setalvad did not give clean chit to Gen Dyer for Jallianwala Bagh massacre: Historians

    Paying rich tributes to Shaheed Udham Singh, the chief minister said “this true son of soil had in a heroic act exhibited exemplary courage by killing Michael O’ Dwyer, the prime perpetrator of the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre”.

    He also recalled the unparalleled sacrifice made by legendary martyrs like Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Shaheed Udham Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru, Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha and others during the Indian freedom movement.

    Bhagwant Mann said as an artist whenever he went to London, he used to visit the Caxton Hall where Shaheed Udham Singh had taken revenge for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

    “This hall is of immense significance for all of us as it reminds us of the heroic deed of the martyr.

    All out efforts will be made to bring back the belongings of all the martyrs to India,” the chief minister said.

    SANGRUR: Days after SAD (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Mann called freedom fighter Bhagat Singh a “terrorist”, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday said no one has any right to question the contribution of great martyrs for the motherland.

    The Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) chief, who is also the MP from Sangrur, has been under fire for his controversial remark.

    He had even defended his remark on Bhagat Singh.

    Addressing the gathering during a state-level function to mark the martyrdom day of Shaheed Udham Singh here on Sunday, Chief Minister Mann, without naming anyone, said it is unfortunate that those who swear by the Constitution to enjoy fruits of power raise a question mark on the supreme sacrifice of the martyrs.

    The AAP leader alleged that “when our great national heroes and martyrs were waging war against the atrocious British regime, some traitors were siding with the imperialist forces”.

    Those people who had felicitated the British had bruised the psyche of every freedom fighter and martyr, an official release quoted the chief minister as saying.

    “It is unfortunate that descendants of such traitors are now questioning the credentials of martyrs. Questioning the credentials of martyrs to eulogize the atrocities of British is a sin and those indulging in such heinous acts are doing an unpardonable crime,” he said.

    Bhagwant Mann said great martyrs like Shaheed Bhagat Singh do not need recognition from anyone because merely his name is enough to inspire millions of people to sacrifice their lives for the country.

    Any controversy on his name and contribution in the freedom struggle is “undesirable”, he stated, adding these martyrs had laid down their lives for the freedom of the country and no one has any right to question his role in the Independence movement.

    He trained his guns on former chief minister Amarinder Singh, a scion of the erstwhile Patiala royal family.

    “The royal family of Patiala has a lineage of anti-Punjab stance,” he alleged.

    “What good of Punjab can be expected from these people who were hand in glove with the British at the time when Bhagat Singh, Udham Singh and others were fighting for the country,” Bhagwant Mann alleged.

    READ HERE | Chimanlal Setalvad did not give clean chit to Gen Dyer for Jallianwala Bagh massacre: Historians

    Paying rich tributes to Shaheed Udham Singh, the chief minister said “this true son of soil had in a heroic act exhibited exemplary courage by killing Michael O’ Dwyer, the prime perpetrator of the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre”.

    He also recalled the unparalleled sacrifice made by legendary martyrs like Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Shaheed Udham Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru, Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha and others during the Indian freedom movement.

    Bhagwant Mann said as an artist whenever he went to London, he used to visit the Caxton Hall where Shaheed Udham Singh had taken revenge for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

    “This hall is of immense significance for all of us as it reminds us of the heroic deed of the martyr.

    All out efforts will be made to bring back the belongings of all the martyrs to India,” the chief minister said.

  • Around 51 lakh households to get zero electricity bill: Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday said around 51 lakh households in the state will receive zero electricity bills and asserted that the promise of 300 units of free power has been implemented from July 1.

    “I am going to share good news with Punjabis regarding electricity guarantee.. the promise of free electricity has come into effect from July 1..  the (electricity) bill for July-August will come in the first week of September.. The good news is that around 51 lakh households will get zero electricity bills – what we say, we do it,” Mann said in a tweet in Punjabi.

    बिजली गारंटी से संबंधित एक अच्छी खबर पंजाबियों के साथ साझा कर रहा हूं … 1 जुलाई से मुफ्त बिजली का वादा लागू हो गया है..जुलाई-अगस्त का बिल सितंबर के पहले हफ्ते में आएगा… खुशखबरी है कि लगभग 51 लाख घरों का बिजली का बिल ज़ीरो आएगा…हम जो कहते हैं, वह करते हैं।
    — Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) July 16, 2022
    The AAP-led government had earlier announced that it will provide 300 units of free electricity to every household from July 1. Giving 300 units of free electricity was one of the major poll promises of the Aam Aadmi Party during the Punjab assembly elections.

    ALSO READ | ‘Revadi culture’: PM Modi warns against garnering votes through freebies

    Party’s national convener Arvind Kejriwal had promised free electricity of up to 300 units per household in the state in June last year. Kejriwal had also promised waiver of pending electricity bills and round-the-clock power supply in the state.

    In April, Mann had said if electricity consumption exceeds 600 units in two months, then a consumer will have to pay for the entire power usage. But scheduled castes, backward castes, below-poverty-line households and freedom fighters will be charged just for over and above 600 units, the chief minister had then clarified.

    Punjab has a two-month billing cycle for power supply.

    ALSO READ | Free education, healthcare not freebies, but efforts towards making India No 1: Arvind Kejriwal

    When Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema presented the state budget on June 27, he had said that providing 300 units of free power will put an additional burden of Rs 1,800 crore on the state exchequer.

    In the state budget, a total power subsidy bill has been proposed at Rs 15,845 crore as against Rs 13,443 crore in 2021-22.

    Punjab provides subsided power to various categories and out of which, the subsidy bill on account of free electricity to the farming sector alone is around Rs 7,000 crore.

    CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday said around 51 lakh households in the state will receive zero electricity bills and asserted that the promise of 300 units of free power has been implemented from July 1.

    “I am going to share good news with Punjabis regarding electricity guarantee.. the promise of free electricity has come into effect from July 1..  the (electricity) bill for July-August will come in the first week of September.. The good news is that around 51 lakh households will get zero electricity bills – what we say, we do it,” Mann said in a tweet in Punjabi.

    बिजली गारंटी से संबंधित एक अच्छी खबर पंजाबियों के साथ साझा कर रहा हूं … 1 जुलाई से मुफ्त बिजली का वादा लागू हो गया है..जुलाई-अगस्त का बिल सितंबर के पहले हफ्ते में आएगा… खुशखबरी है कि लगभग 51 लाख घरों का बिजली का बिल ज़ीरो आएगा…
    हम जो कहते हैं, वह करते हैं।
    — Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) July 16, 2022
    The AAP-led government had earlier announced that it will provide 300 units of free electricity to every household from July 1. Giving 300 units of free electricity was one of the major poll promises of the Aam Aadmi Party during the Punjab assembly elections.

    ALSO READ | ‘Revadi culture’: PM Modi warns against garnering votes through freebies

    Party’s national convener Arvind Kejriwal had promised free electricity of up to 300 units per household in the state in June last year. Kejriwal had also promised waiver of pending electricity bills and round-the-clock power supply in the state.

    In April, Mann had said if electricity consumption exceeds 600 units in two months, then a consumer will have to pay for the entire power usage. But scheduled castes, backward castes, below-poverty-line households and freedom fighters will be charged just for over and above 600 units, the chief minister had then clarified.

    Punjab has a two-month billing cycle for power supply.

    ALSO READ | Free education, healthcare not freebies, but efforts towards making India No 1: Arvind Kejriwal

    When Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema presented the state budget on June 27, he had said that providing 300 units of free power will put an additional burden of Rs 1,800 crore on the state exchequer.

    In the state budget, a total power subsidy bill has been proposed at Rs 15,845 crore as against Rs 13,443 crore in 2021-22.

    Punjab provides subsided power to various categories and out of which, the subsidy bill on account of free electricity to the farming sector alone is around Rs 7,000 crore.

  • Haryana Assembly building row: SAD, Congress attack Bhagwant Mann over Punjab ‘rights’

    Express News Service

    CHANDIGARH:  The Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) attacked AAP government and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday for “forfeiting the rights of Punjab” over the move to allot land in Chandigarh for the new Assembly building of Haryana.

    SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal has asked Mann to immediately withdraw his statement on Chandigarh or be ready to face a fullscale agitation on this issue by Punjabis. Badal said Mann had backstabbed Punjabis and marred their aspirations to not only regain Chandigarh, but also the Punjabi-speaking areas left behind in Haryana as well as its river waters. 

    “The chief minister had himself harmed the interests of the state during a meeting with the chief justice of the Punjab and Haryna High Court in which he demanded a separate piece of land for a high court building of the state. This demand gave Haryana a chance to seek land for a separate Vidhan Sabha in the union territory,’’ he said. 

    “We will not let this conspiracy succeed at any cost and have called an emergency meeting of the party’s core committee on July 12 to chalk out our plan,’’ Badal added.

    The leader of Opposition and Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa also criticised Mann for demanding land for a separate Assembly and High Court on the lines of Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar. “By surrendering our rights to heritage buildings, the CM is ensuring the permanent loss of Chandigarh,’’ he said.

    Haryana to get 10 acres for new assemblyCHANDIGARH: The Chandigarh Administration (Union Territory) has agreed to allot a 10-acre site to Haryana government for the construction of a new Assembly building, as Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on Saturday.

    Sources said three sites are under consideration for the proposed Haryana Assembly building — a plot near the railway station light point to IT Park, a site at IT Park and another opposite Kalagram in Manimajra, with all these proposed sites bordering Panchkula in Haryana.

  • Punjab: Opposition dubs AAP govt’s first budget ‘bunch of lies’; demands answers on Rs 1,000 to women

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Opposition parties in Punjab on Monday called the AAP-led government’s maiden budget a “bunch of lies” and claimed it “disappointed” every section of the society.

    Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Monday presented the state budget for 2022-23, providing 300 units of free electricity to households from July 1, setting up of 117 Mohalla Clinics and upgrading 100 schools as ‘schools of eminence’ in the state among other proposals.

    Reacting to the budget, Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring dismissed it as a “bunch of lies” that lacks both content and quality, and is a betrayal of the people of the state.

    “Budget is not just a financial statement, but also a means to set the course for future progress and was the best chance for the government to show what ‘badlaav’ (change) it envisioned for the state and it has miserably failed on that,” he said.

    “Not a single promise that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) made before the elections has been touched in the budget,” he said, adding that there was no mention of providing Rs 1,000 per month to all women, leaving them ‘cheated and betrayed’.

    He further said there is no clarity about the “300 units of free power”.

    Other than the token announcement, the finance minister did not elaborate as to from where the government will get the money as there is no budgetary allocation made for the scheme, he said.

    “Normally, the first budget of the government lays out the roadmap for next five years for the government, but this budget contains nothing like that; neither a roadmap, nor any vision nor any direction,” he added.

    Warring also alleged that the budget in no way spells out how the state will cover the massive revenue gap.

    “Now they must have realised that the government does not run on rhetoric,” he said while questioning how AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann could claim that they would generate tens of thousands of crore from sand mining, which according to them, was pocketed by the corrupt.

    He said several schemes like modernisation of bus stands were old ones and initiated by the previous Congress government.

    “It is like old wine in new bottles,” he added.

    Taking on the AAP government over the poll promise of Rs 1,000 to each woman per month, Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa said, “The government of Punjab has made no announcement regarding the Rs 1,000 per month to every woman above 18 years.”

    “This promise I fear will not be seen till the last six months of the AAP government in 2027. This is a serious breach of trust committed by the government of Punjab. It clearly shows that their big promises are untenable under proper scrutiny,” he said in a statement.

    BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh said after facing a humiliating defeat in the Sangrur Lok Sabha by-election, the AAP has presented a budget which has made a “mockery” of the common man in Punjab.

    “Instead of addressing the economic crisis that Punjab has been facing for so long, the AAP government budget is only fudging the figures to build up a rosy picture. It is intriguing that the budget is silent on electoral promises like giving Rs 1,000 each to women, among others, and is making a rigmarole statement,” he said.

    The budget has disappointed all sections of the society be it traders, farmers or the service class, claimed Chugh in a statement.

    “There is no word on how the mafias in the state would be checked and how corruption will be fought after AAP’s own health minister was sacked following corruption charges,” he added.

  • ‘Punjab is in deep debt trap due to previous regimes’, says state government’s White Paper

    Express News Service

    CHANDIGARH: The Bhagwant Mann government in Punjab on Saturday admitted the state is being pushed deeper into a debt trap in a White Paper tabled in the Assembly, but sought to blame the previous governments for the economic morass.

    The economies of quite a few state governments are under similar stress, but it is only Punjab that has accepted it upfront. Just last week, the RBI had warned that the economies of Kerala, Punjab, Rajasthan, West Bengal, and Bihar are in deep trouble. But Kerala sought to rebut it.

    Punjab’s debt has spiraled to 2.63 lakh crore and the state has Rs 24,351.29 crore worth liabilities to service in the immediate term, the document said, warning of an impending crisis. “The current debt indicators of the state are probably the worst in the country, pushing it deeper into a debt trap,” it claimed. The White Paper was tabled by state finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema on the second day of ongoing budget session.

    It quantified the current debt as a whopping 45.88 per cent of the state GDP. Debt ballooned 44.23 per cent in the last five years at a compounded annual growth rate of 7.6 per cent, it added. Pointing fingers at the previous Congress government, it said they left an immediate and medium-term liability of Rs 24,351.29 crore. Of that amount, Rs 13,759 crore will go towards non-payment of arrears of the sixth pay commission and Rs 7,117.86 crore for power subsidy arrears.

    Besides, the share of central taxes plus grants from the Centre, which was 24 per cent of total revenue receipts in 2011-12, has doubled to 46 per cent in 2021-22. This comes as the state’s tax revenue as a percentage of total revenue receipts decreased from 72 per cent to 48 per cent during the same period.

    With the GST compensation regime ending in June, the state government would be staring down a big hole in its finances to the tune of Rs 14,000-15,000 crore in 2022-23 itself, the document pointed out.

    Total outstanding debt: Rs 2,63,265 crore

    How it ballooned

    1980-81 – Rs 1,009 crore

    2011-12 – Rs 83,099 crore

    2021-22 – Rs 2,63,265 crore

  • ‘Biggest cowardly attack on democracy’: Parties slam Congress on Emergency’s 47th anniversary

    The Emergency, declared on this day in 1975 by former prime minister Indira Gandhi, suspended fundamental rights of citizens and brought press censorship.

  • Punjab government to run luxury buses to IGI Airport 

    Express News Service

    CHANDIGARH:  Political gamesmanship sometimes ends up benefitting the people. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday announced that the state government would start luxurious Volvo bus services from different cities of the state to the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) in New Delhi from June 15.

    The move is apparently aimed at breaking the monopoly of private bus operators, including the companies owned by a prominent political family. “We have got the mandate of people to serve the state by eliminating mafia. Our government has already curbed liquor mafia through our new excise policy and today I am happy to announce that now transport mafia will also be a thing of past,” Mann said in a video message.

    He pointed out that for decades, only private transporters had run their buses on this route and looted the people by charging as per their whims and fancies. The CM said the NRIs coming to Punjab always complained to him asking why only private players had the right to ply buses on this route.

    The luxury buses run by the government will charge less than half of the private transporters and give double facilities, Mann proclaimed. The bookings can be done through the websites of Punjab Roadways and PUNBUS. The time table of these buses will also be available on these websites.

    Sources said these Volvo buses will ply between the IGI Airport and Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Patiala, Hoshiarpur, Pathankot and Chandigarh. Thee fare is likely to be in the range of Rs 800-Rs 1,400 as compared to Rs 1,600-Rs 2,600 charged by the private operators. Volvo buses from Punjab to the Delhi airport are being run mostly by companies owned by a powerful political family. The AAP had promised to break this monopoly.

  • Punjab CM Mann meets Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann met his party chief Arvind Kejriwal at his residence here on Thursday, as the state government faces opposition attack following the murder of singer-politician Sidhu Moose Wala.

    An Aam Aadmi Party source said it was a “normal” meeting. Moose Wala was shot dead on May 29 by unidentified assailants in Punjab’s Mansa district, a day after the state government had curtailed his security cover. His cousin and a friend, who were travelling in a jeep with him, were also injured in the attack.

    Mann has already announced setting up a judicial commission headed by a sitting high court judge to probe the incident.

    Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, known as Sidhu Moosewala, was among the 424 people whose security was withdrawn or curtailed by the Punjab government on May 28.

    The state government came under heavy criticism of opposition parties after the incident with the Congress and BJP demanding it should be dismissed.

  • Punjab government will leave no stone unturned: CM Mann on Moose Wala killing

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday said his government will request the chief justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to get the Sidhu Moose Wala murder case probed by a sitting high court judge.

    The government will leave no stone unturned to bring the perpetrators of this heinous crime to justice, said Mann.

    His statement came after Moose Wala’s father Balkaur Singh demanded a probe by a sitting judge of the high court into the murder.

    ALSO READ: BJP blames Arvind Kejriwal for Sidhu Moose Wala’s murder; accuses him of remote controlling Punjab

    In a statement here, Mann also expressed deep shock over the demise of Moose Wala. “Punjab Government shall be requesting the Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court to get the case inquired into by the sitting judge of the high court,” he said.

    The state government shall ensure full cooperation in this enquiry commission including that from any central agency like the NIA.

    ALSO READ: Sidhu Moose Wala killing seems result of inter-gang rivalry, says Punjab DGP VK Bhawra

    Mann further said he had already ordered an inquiry at the highest level into aspects of security reduction and fix responsibility, The famous Punjabi singer and Congress leader was shot dead on Sunday by unidentified assailants in Mansa district, a day after the state government curtailed his security cover.

  • Lok Sabha secretariat asks estates officer to initiate eviction proceedings against CM Mann

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha Secretariat has asked the Directorate of Estates to initiate eviction proceedings against AAP leader and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for “unauthorised” occupation of a Central government accommodation here which was allotted to him as a member of parliament.

    Mann had resigned as Sangrur MP in March to become Punjab’s chief minister.

    In its petition before the estates officer, the Secretariat said Mann was allotted the Central government’s Duplex No 33, North Avenue, along with its units and 153 North Avenue, as his regular accommodation as a member of 17th Lok Sabha.

    “The said allotment stands cancelled in his name with effect from April 14,” it said, adding Mann failed to vacate the premises.

    The LS Secretariat said the occupation of the building by the former MP after April 13 is “unauthorised”.

    “It is, therefore requested the proceedings for eviction of Bhagwan Mann, ex-MP and all persons may be initiated and orders for their eviction be passed,” reads the petition sent to the estates officer.

    There was no immediate reaction available from the Punjab chief minister’s office.

    According to official documents, the said accommodation has now been issued to Hanuman Beniwal, the RLP president and an MP from Rajasthan.

    Central government employees, MPs, judges and other dignitaries, are allotted residential accommodation in the national capital while they are in service and posted in Delhi.

    After their term expires or ends prematurely, they are no longer eligible to occupy the accommodation.

    As per PRS Legislative, to evict a person from a residential accommodation, a Central government estate officer first issues a written notice to the individual concerned, after which he/she has to show cause within three working days as to why an eviction notice should not be issued against them.