Chandigarh, March 31 – Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann announced a ₹75 crore development package on Tuesday, including a ₹23 crore center of excellence named after Kargil martyr Captain Amol Kalia, and major upgrades in education infrastructure in the town of Nangal.
He stated that those who presided over the rise of the drug trade and weakened Punjab's social fabric can never be forgiven, emphasizing that the people have decisively moved towards a model of honest governance focused on jobs, education, and infrastructure.
After inaugurating the development projects, CM Mann said, "The Akalis should be held accountable for the genocide of generations, as the drug trade was patronized and flourished during their long period of misrule. The hands of these leaders are stained with the blood of millions of young people who fell victim to drugs supplied in their official vehicles. These actions are unforgivable, and they can never be forgiven by the people for their long history of misdeeds."
He strongly criticized the Akali leadership, saying, "These leaders have long misled the people by calling themselves farmers, but can they explain how any food grower acquires a large fleet of buses and a lavish hotel in Gurgaon? All of this has been accumulated by selling the interests of the state and its people for their own political gain."
"Sukhbir Badal has lost the support of the masses, and paid workers are being used to create the illusion of large crowds at rallies. The same crowd is present at every Akali rally. He is making baseless and irrational statements, baffled by the unprecedented work done by the state government. Based on such statements, the former Deputy Chief Minister is daydreaming about returning to power, which will never be possible," said CM Mann.
Referring to past incidents, he recalled, "The former Deputy Chief Minister claims massive development during their regime, but turns a blind eye to Kotakpura, Behbal Kalan, and other places where 'beadbi' (sacrilege) of the Guru Granth Sahib took place, and innocent people were killed. All of this happened under their regime. They have forgotten these 'beadbi' incidents and believe that people will forget them too, but people will not forget."
"Their family was complicit. Their 'Punjab Bachao Yatra' (Save Punjab March) is actually a 'Parivar Bachao Yatra' (Save Family March). After looting the state for 15 years, they must explain who they are trying to save Punjab from. The Akalis have plundered the state mercilessly, bruised the psyche of Punjabis emotionally, and patronized several mafias," the Chief Minister added.