CHANDIGARH: After a heated exchange with farmer unions yesterday, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann today took on the agitating tehsildars across the state, who have been on mass casual leave since Monday in protest against vigilance inquiries. Mann issued a stern warning, telling them to return to work immediately or face replacement.
The Punjab Revenue Officers’ Association had announced on Monday that property registrations would remain suspended until March 7 in protest against vigilance action on a sub-registrar, a nambardar, a registry clerk, and others in Ludhiana over an alleged fraudulent land deal.
Mann, accompanied by Additional Chief Secretary-cum-Financial Commissioner (Revenue) Anurag Verma, personally visited tehsil offices in Kharar and Fatehgarh Sahib to ensure that the strike was not disrupting public services. He directed Verma to present an agenda for recruiting new revenue officials at the next state cabinet meeting.
“They want a licence for corruption, but our government has zero tolerance for corruption and will not be blackmailed,” Mann declared. “We have assigned kanungos and other officials to handle property registrations. If necessary, we will even delegate these powers to school principals and headmasters. But the protesting tehsildars will not be allowed to blackmail the government and inconvenience the public.”
He reiterated his commitment to honesty, stating, “I have never taken money, nor is there any allegation against me. I will not allow anyone to indulge in corruption. If they do not resume work immediately, the government will find replacements. There are thousands of qualified people. We will employ them.”
Mann also suggested that once the striking tehsildars return, the people will decide when and where they should rejoin after their ‘holiday’.
Writing on X, he criticised the protesters, saying, “Tehsildars are protesting in favour of their corrupt colleagues, but our government is against bribery. They can enjoy their mass casual leave, but the people will decide where they will be posted when they return.”
The state government has issued a warning to striking officers, demanding they return to work immediately or face suspension.
In a letter to all Deputy Commissioners, the Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) stated that revenue officers had gone on mass leave and suspended registration work. He cited Section 6 and Section 12 of the Registration Act, 1908, which empower the state government to appoint suitable persons—whether public officers or not—as registrars and sub-registrars of districts and sub-districts.
Following the Chief Minister's directive, kanungos and PCS officers in the district have been assigned the duties of tehsildars.
When questioned about his meeting with Samyukta Kisan Morcha leaders yesterday, Mann remarked that Punjab was turning into a 'dharna state' due to frequent protests. He expressed concern over the economic impact of daily road and rail blockades.
“We are suffering economically. My soft approach should not be mistaken for an inability to take action. I am the custodian of 3.5 crore people, and I have to look after everyone,” he asserted.
Mann said that during discussions, he asked farmer leaders about their protest plans, to which they responded that the sit-in would proceed as planned. “I asked them, ‘Why did you make me sit here for two-and-a-half hours then?’ Their demands are not related to the state government but to the central government. Yet, they were unwilling to call off their protest and still wanted to hold talks,” he added.