Mann suffering from caste prejudice: Dhillon

Our Correspondent

Sahnewal, August 31

Punjab Irrigation Minister Sharanjit Singh Dhillon reacted sharply to MP Bhagwant Mann’s statement that the government’s help was reducing the economically weak to the status of “beggars”. 

Dhillon said, “Several welfare schemes have been started by the Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janta Party led Punjab government for the welfare of people to provide additional help to those who find it difficult to make both ends meet. The help received from the government is the help which the public expects and this does not make them beggars.”

Dhillon said it revealed the sick mindset of Mann and the entire Aam Aadmi Party. He said Mann was suffering from casteist intoxication and that is why he was making a mockery of the economically weaker sections as well as the Dalits. He said these sections were a part of society and they could not be left to suffer on their own. “It is the duty of the government to come to their aid as and when required,” Dhillon asserted.

He said for him as well as for the entire SAD-BJP leadership, these people were supreme but Mann would not understand it because he had a high caste attitude of looking down upon those who needed help.

While speaking to mediapersons, Dhillon said the AAP was walking on the footsteps of the Congress as both were anti-Punjab parties and had been damaging the Sikhs as well.

1,500 Atta-Dal scheme beneficiaries get wheat bags

   Punjab Irrigation Minister Sharanjit Singh Dhillon addressed a gathering during the function organised for distribution of wheat under the state’s Atta-Dal Scheme at Meharban village near Sahnewal on Wednesday. 

Not only this, he distributed more than 22,000 blue cards in Meharban circle alone. 

A total of 1,500 wheat bags of 30 kg each were distributed to beneficiaries of the Meharban area under the Atta-Dal scheme. This wheat was handed over to them at Re 1 per kg for from April 2016 to September 2016.

SGPC member also flays AAP MP over beggar remark

Khamano: Taking serious note of AAP’s Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann’s ‘beggar remark’, SGPC member Avtar Singh Ria of Bassi Pathana had flayed the statement of AAP leader.

“An arrogant Mann had lost his mental balance and insulted common people who were beneficiaries of the welfare schemes initiated by the SAD-BJP government,” Ria said during a press conference at Khamano.

He said it was painful as well as shameful that Mann called people ‘beggars’ and other senior leaders of his party didn’t object to his utterances.

Providing atta-daal at subsidised rates, giving shagun to Dalit girls at the time of their marriage, gifting cycles to school students under the Mai Bhago Scheme and various other schemes had been designed to provide relief to needy people. Ria said they would protest against Mann if he did not apologise for his statement. Ria also handed over a cheque of Rs 20,000 to a cancer patient of the area on the occasion.