CM Mann slams Union government for neglecting Punjab, says should accept farmers' demands

"Punjab had suffered inexplicable discrimination from central governments in the form of regressive and ruinous policies," Mann said at the Republic Day function.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann addressing the gathering after unfurling the national tricolour at the 76th Republic Day function in Patiala's Polo Ground.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann addressing the gathering after unfurling the national tricolour at the 76th Republic Day function in Patiala's Polo Ground.(Photo | X, Screengrab)
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CHANDIGARH: Slamming the Union Government for its step-motherly treatment towards Punjab, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said the Centre should accept the farmers' demands. He added that the government's apathetic attitude has forced farmers to agitate even on Republic Day.

“The tractor which is king of the fields, has to ply on roads towards Delhi instead of producing food grains due to the callous attitude of the Union government,” he added.

Addressing the gathering after unfurling the national tricolour at the 76th Republic Day function in Patiala's Polo Ground, Chief Minister Mann said that, in the more than seven decades since independence, Punjab had suffered inexplicable discrimination from central governments in the form of regressive and ruinous policies.

He said it is unfortunate that the farmers, who made the country self-reliant in food production, have been forced to agitate on Republic Day as well. He added that, due to the apathetic attitude of the central government, the hands that feed the country are now forced to resort to hunger strikes to have their demands fulfilled.

Mann said the Centre should accept the demands of the farmers so they can serve the country well, adding that the plight of farmers, due to the cold shoulder of the Union government, hurts every Indian who believes in constitutional values.

“The central government should stop the step-motherly treatment towards Punjab and its hard-working people,” he said.

Citing another example of the Union government’s indifferent attitude towards Punjab, Mann said the central government has not released the state’s pending share of the RDF, worth Rs 5,500 crore.

He also stated that this is not in line with the federal structure outlined in the Constitution adding that the states are not beggars and should be given their legitimate share of funds by the Centre, instead of harassing them.

He said that despite the state's limited natural resources, the farmers have worked tirelessly to make the country self-reliant in food production, often at the cost of overexploiting the state's only available natural resources.

He reminded that, at the time of independence, while the rest of the country rejoiced, Punjab, being a border state, bore the brunt of partition. Mann said Punjab endured the horrors of a violent partition, in which lakhs of Punjabis lost their lives, were rendered homeless, and many others lost their lands and properties.

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