CHANDIGARH: Amid the political row over Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal chairing a meeting with Punjab government officials to discuss the power crisis in the state, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann claimed he himself had sent the officers there — and for a reason.
He said the public would get a “good news” on April 16 and know as to why he had sent the officers to the national capital.
Mann said in Jalandhar on Thursday that senior officers of the state government had gone for training in New Delhi on his orders a few days ago.
Slamming the opposition for making “undue hue and cry” over the issue, he said that he will send his officers for their professional and expertise wherever necessary.
“If need be, we will send them to Israel as well,” he said.
On the opposition ire, Mann said, “The opposition, they are just 18 and won by mere few hundred votes. They should just not criticise the government for the sake of it,” he said.
Stating that only less than a month has passed since the formation of the new government, Mann said every promise made to the people will be fulfilled.
The newly elected AAP government in Punjab had come under fire from opposition parties, who had described the meeting as interference in state affairs and a breach of federalism.
The Punjab CM was called a "rubber stamp" by former chief minister Amarinder Singh.
"I am taking all decisions," Mann told reporters in Jalandhar while defending the meeting.
When asked that he was not present in the meeting held by Kejriwal with state officials in Delhi, Mann said, "I had sent them.
For training, the same officers had gone to Gujarat and for training they had gone to Tamil Nadu.
If we have to send them to Israel for Punjab's benefit, I will send them there too."
"In coming days, I will send my officers to Delhi, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu," he said.
"If I find something good in West Bengal, then I will send my officers there. If I find something good in Gujarat, I will send them there too," added Mann.
He said the "good news" about which he had indicated earlier will be announced on April 16.
"Then you will say keep sending them," he said, asking the opposition parties not to criticise just for the sake of criticism.
Replying to a question on the alleged multi-crore scholarship scam that surfaced during the previous regime, Mann said those involved in it will soon be put behind the bars.
Mann said the key accused will be soon seen filing applications in courts for better facilities in jails.
To another question, Mann ruled out any possibility of the state government purchasing new vehicles for the ministers.
He said the opposition is baselessly spreading such canards in dearth of any issue against the AAP government in the state.
Mann said there was no such move by the state government.
"Show us even one vehicle that we are going to buy," said Mann.
Earlier in the day, Congress MLA Pargat Singh in a tweet alleged, "Punjab AAP Ministers and MLAs are really in a hurry to become VIPs.
Demanding 50 lakh Fortuners & 30 Lakh Innova Crystas when the state is already under 3 lakh crore debt.
Punjabis have surely been taken for a ride by @BhagwantMann & @ArvindKejriwal's Aam Aadmis."
Mann said every guarantee promised with people will be fulfilled.
He said less than a month has passed since the formation of the new government in Punjab.
Every promise made with people will be delivered at every cost, he added.
He said the state government will ensure judicious use of funds under the centrally sponsored schemes for the well-being of people.
He said the rural development fund will be released by the Union government soon as the Cabinet has approved Punjab Rural Development Amendment (Ordinance) on Wednesday.
Mann said the Centre has withheld the RDF as the previous governments have "diverted these funds for their vested political interests".
Meanwhile, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday accused Mann of surrendering his powers to his Kejriwal, who, he said, has also begun ordering transfers of the state's district police chiefs and deputy commissioners.
Badal also accused Mann of visiting Takht Damdama Sahib under the influence of liquor, an allegation denied by the Aam Aadmi Party as "false" and "baseless".
Accusing Mann of surrendering his powers as the chief minister to the AAP national convenor, Badal said Kejriwal was not only holding meetings with Punjab officials in Mann's absence but also ordering postings of senior superintendents of police and deputy commissioners in the state.
Addressing a gathering at Takht Damdama Sahib on the occasion of Baisakhi, the Shiromani Akali Dal president further alleged that Kejriwal has not only taken control of the Punjab administration but was also using its resources like the state helicopter for electioneering in Himachal Pradesh.
"Ninety commandos of the Punjab police have even been deputed with the Delhi chief minister," Badal claimed in an official statement of his party.
Accusing Mann of visiting Takht Damdama Sahib while drunk on Thursday, the SAD chief said it is not the first time that he has conducted himself in such a manner.
"He had visited this holy place while drunk even earlier," he said.
Stating that he did not want to speak for some time and wanted to give a free rein to the new government to fulfil its promises to the people, Badal said the chief minister's actions, however, have become intolerable.
Badal's allegation, however, was strongly refuted by AAP senior leader and spokesperson Malwinder Singh Kang, who dubbed the SAD chief's allegation against the Punjab CM as "baseless and false".
He said it was unfortunate that the SAD president was indulging in false propaganda against the CM.
"We strongly condemn the statement of the Akali Dal chief," Kang said.
He added that rather than making baseless allegations, Sukhbir Singh Badal should play constructive politics.
Continuing his tirade against AAP, the SAD chief further said the AAP government should protect the interests of the state.
He also accused the five AAP Rajya Sabha members from Punjab of not raising their voices against the Centre in Parliament for "trying to dilute Punjab's claim on Chandigarh or for the release of Sikh prisoners who had completed their jail terms".
"It was left to former Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal to raise these issues forcefully in Parliament," he said.
Badal also asked the AAP government to immediately announce a bonus of Rs 500 per quintal for farmers who, he said, were facing huge losses due to low wheat yield.
He also said "anti-panthic" forces were trying to weaken the SAD by defaming it.
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president Harjinder Singh Dhami too spoke on the occasion and said Sikhs have remained steadfast to their faith against all odds.
He said there are, however, some black sheep in the community who are conspiring against the 'panth' and its institutions.
He urged the community members to pray for the well being of the 'panth', saying all anti-panthic forces would be defeated in due time.
Addressing the gathering, Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal said the AAP government, besides compensating farmers for low yields, should reduce the value-added tax on diesel and make arrangements for an adequate supply of power.
Party leader Sikandar Singh Maluka read out a resolution demanding from the Centre to release all Sikh prisoners who had completed their jail terms including Balwant Singh Rajoana, Davinderpal Singh Bhullar and Jagtar Singh Hawara.
While Rajoana and Hawara were convicted in the 1995 assassination case of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, Bhullar was convicted in the 1993 Delhi bomb blast case.
(With PTI Inputs)