Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday said that India’s trajectory would have been entirely different if Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh had become the country’s first Prime Minister. He made the remarks while addressing a public gathering after dedicating a newly constructed Sub-Divisional Hospital to the people.
The Chief Minister questioned why, decades after independence, the country continues to remain entangled in an outdated administrative system, despite revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh and Kartar Singh Sarabha sacrificing their lives to free the nation from such structures.
Mann asserted that it was “written on the wall” that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) would return to power in Punjab in the 2027 Assembly elections, claiming that his government has fulfilled all guarantees promised to the public within four years, leaving opposition parties without significant issues to raise before voters.
He alleged that opposition parties, after repeatedly “looting Punjab,” are now engaged in internal conflicts in an attempt to regain power. Mann emphasized that his government remains committed to protecting the rights and welfare of the people.
Referring to the farmers’ protest against the three central farm laws, the Chief Minister said Punjab has not forgotten the sacrifices of over 750 farmers who lost their lives during the agitation. He credited his government with taking people-centric decisions since assuming office in 2022 from the ancestral village of Bhagat Singh.
Highlighting governance reforms, Mann said his administration has introduced new political standards by delivering on promises within four years, unlike previous governments that failed to do so even in five years. He added that the government has been working from day one to reform what he described as a flawed system inherited from earlier regimes.
The Chief Minister also criticized Congress and Akali leadership, alleging they were seeking another opportunity to regain power despite the hardships faced by the state during their previous tenures. He expressed confidence that voters would reject them in future elections.
Speaking on the issue of drugs, Mann claimed that influential leaders who allegedly patronized narcotics trade have been jailed under his government. He asserted that earlier administrations lacked the courage to act against such powerful figures, but his government has taken strict action and ensured accountability.
