Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday patted the Punjab Police for foiling a deep rooted conspiracy to defame Punjab by vigilantly preventing an attack on Akali leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal at Amritsar.

Interacting with the media persons on the sidelines of dedication of ‘Nishan-e-Inquilaab” plaza here today, the Chief Minister condemned the attack in the strongest terms and said that there is no place for such dastardly acts at a sacred place like Sri Harmandir Sahib.

Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state government had already deployed around 175 cops apart from the senior officers to prevent any untoward incident. He said that this produced the desired result as a conspiracy to bring bad name to the state was foiled by the Punjab Police who was keeping an eagle eye around Sri Harmandir Sahib.

The Chief Minister said that he is keeping a regular tab over the entire incident and has directed officers to maintain maximum vigil against anti-social elements. Mann said that he has already directed the Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav to conduct a thorough probe into the matter.

He said that Punjab is the land of the gurus, saints, seers, martyrs and has always been a torch bearer to mankind for values of brotherhood and communal harmony adding that maintaining the hard earned peace in the state is the first and foremost priority for him and his government and no one will be allowed to disturb it.

Batting for international flights from Shaheed Bhagat Singh airport Mohali and Sri Guru Ramdass airport Amritsar, the Chief Minister said that it is imperative to save the time, money and energy of Punjabis travelling abroad.

He said that both these airports have required infrastructure to facilitate the takeoff and landing of the international flights and the state government is making concerted efforts to ensure that flights start soon.

Chief Minister Mann said that the state government will leave no stone unturned for this noble cause to facilitate the Punjabis living within the country and abroad.