Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann accused the BJP-led central authorities of being ‘anti-Punjab,’ and mentioned that in the event that they had their method, they would not hesitate to remove the word ‘Punjab’ from the national anthem. Mann criticised the Center for allegedly withholding the state’s rural growth funds and forcing it to beg for its share in Goods and Services Tax assortment.
Mann made these feedback throughout the first day of the two-day winter session within the Punjab Vidhan Sabha.
‘Anti-Punjab mentality of BJP authorities’
Participating in a debate following the introduction of the Punjab Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023, Mann asserted that the BJP authorities on the Center has an “anti-Punjab” mindset. He mentioned regardless of Punjab being on the forefront in contributing to the nation’s meals grain manufacturing and having the best illustration within the Army, it is disheartening to watch that the Central authorities has persistently uncared for the state. “Every day they do something which shows that Punjab is not a part of the country… The BJP is anti-Punjab,” mentioned Mann within the House.
Mann on MSP
“They want the MSP to be abolished… stubble is not being burnt only in Punjab, they want FIRs against farmers but do not pay RDF,” he alleged. “I want to ask the Punjab BJP chief (Sunil Kumar Jakhar) and the former chief minister (Amarinder Singh) that the BJP took so many anti-Punjab decisions and even then you are silent. If the Centre has its way, they would have dropped Punjab from ‘Jana Gana Mana’,” mentioned Mann.
Mann additional accused the BJP of trying to inflict financial hurt on states the place it shouldn’t be in energy, along with alleging the “misuse” of the CBI and the ED. He asserted that the Narendra Modi authorities is struggling from an “anti-Punjab syndrome,” on account of which they’re “hell-bent” on ruining the state.
He additional claimed that because of the apathy of the Union authorities, agriculture is not a worthwhile enterprise however now the Centre is making an attempt to abolish the MSP on meals grains. In addition, the Centre is placing the whole onus of environmental air pollution within the national capital on the farmers of the state by asserting that they’re burning paddy straw, he mentioned.
(With PTI inputs)
