Kangana Ranaut slap row reflects anger among farmers: Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann

Mohali, June 10

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said today that a CISF constable allegedly slapping Bollywood actor and newly elected BJP MP Kangana Ranaut at the Chandigarh airport recently reflected the simmering anger caused by her “venomous statement” made in the past.

He said, “It is an unfortunate incident but Kangana should also have exercised restraint before labelling the entire Punjabis as terrorists. She should have remembered the contribution of Punjabis to making country self-reliant in food production, freedom struggle and defence of the country.” Mann added that the immature statement did not behove a public figure of Kangana’s stature.

It’s unfortunate incident

It is an unfortunate incident but Kangana should also have exercised restraint before labelling the entire Punjabis as terrorists. She should have remembered the contribution of Punjabis to making country self-reliant in food production, freedom struggle and defence of the country. —Bhagwant Mann, CM

Talking to mediapersons after paying obeisance at Gurudwara Singh Shaheedan in Mohali, he said the state government was geared up for the upcoming byelection for the Jalandhar (West) Assembly segment. AAP was a national party which would contest the bypoll and ensure the victory. The party would contest with full might and win this seat that had fallen vacant due to the resignation of the MLA.

The Chief Minister said for the first time, the state government had embarked a major scheme to save groundwater by optimum utilisation of canal water. Mann said the AAP had performed well in the Lok Sabha polls as its vote share had enhanced from 7 per cent in 2019 to more than 26 per cent.

The Chief Minister said as compared to one seat in 2019, the party had won three seats this time whereas the vote share of the Congress had declined and the BJP had been wiped out. However, he said AAAP would certainly analyse and overcome the shortcomings, if any, in its working and try to improve it.

He said the government had released Rs 91 crore for the post-matric scholarship scheme. “Despite huge rhetoric regarding 400 paar, the BJP could not cross 250 and the Modi government has been rechristened as the NDA government.”

He said the BJP was far away from majority mark and the Opposition was equally strong in the Lok Sabha.

The Chief Minister said several leaders, who had lost the elections had been made the ministers in the new Cabinet. Ravneet Bittu should flag the issues of state, especially regarding stopping of funds, with the Union government so that these were immediately released.