Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi led BJP government for meting out step motherly treatment to the state thereby trying to jeopardise development and progress of Punjab.
Taking part in discussions on the floor of Punjab Vidhan Sabha, the Chief Minister, while citing the stalling of funds of RDF, said that it reflects the discriminatory attitude of the Union government against Punjab and Punjabis.
He said that the centre government leaves no stone unturned to defame Punjab and recent landing of US planes carrying deportees in Amritsar despite the fact that most of them were from other states is an example of it.
Mann said that he had vehemently opposed it and sole motive was to tarnish the image of state the plane carrying deportees is being landed here without any rationale.
The Chief Minister said that if the plane carrying former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Shiekh Haseena can be landed at Hindon airport then why can’t this plane be taken to any other part of the country.
Mann said that illegal immigration is not only the problem of Punjab but it is a national problem whereas projection is being made that Punjab is severely affected by this so only Punjabis were being deported from the United States.
He said that such an attitude towards the state is intolerable, unwarranted and undesirable as we cannot compromise with the dignity and pride of the state.
The Chief Minister reminded the Union government that Punjab had played a key role in the national freedom struggle as more than 80 per cent of freedom fighters who were martyred or exiled hailed from the state.
Similarly, he said that Punjab is the sword arm of India and the hard working and resilient farmers of the state had played a key role in making the country self-reliant in food production. Mann categorically said that Punjab is not beggar and we know how to take our rights, for which relentless struggle will be made.
The Chief Minister said that the ongoing situation in the country is very dismal as the Union government is continuously trying to weaken the federal structure of the country by usurping the rights of the state.
Expressing concern over corporatization in the political arena, he said that the Union government has become a puppet in the hands of the affluent businessmen, who are being extended largesse.
Mann said that the assets of the country are being sold at meager prices to the friends of the Union government which is very unfortunate.
The Chief Minister said that contrary to this the state has created history by purchasing Goindwal power plant owned by a private company GVK Power.
He said that for the first time this reverse trend has started that a government has purchased any private power plant whereas in the past the state governments used to sell their assets to the favorite individuals at ‘throw away’ prices.
Mann said that the state government has named this power plant after the third Sikh Guru Sri Guru Amardass ji.