Opposition hindering Punjab’s progress, trying to defame AAP govt: CM

Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann today accused the Opposition parties of creating hurdles in the state’s progress for “their vested political interests”.

Addressing a gathering after dedicating several development projects at Lehragaga, he said the Opposition leaders, including Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, were making desperate attempts to defame the government, but had failed for want of issues. He said people had already rejected such leaders for their “sins of the past”.

Highlighting his government’s works, Mann said jobs were being given purely on merit to check migration, while new colleges and libraries would come up in villages. He announced a Rs 4,150-crore project to repair 19,491-km of rural link roads, besides noting that the “Sadak Surakhya Force” had reduced road accident deaths by nearly 50 per cent.

Earlier, Mann laid the foundation stones for a new PSPCL office and a tehsil complex, apart from inaugurating “Aap Di Rasoi” to provide a meal for Rs 10 to the needy. He also blessed couples at a mass wedding and distributed shagun cheques. Cabinet Ministers Harpal Singh Cheema, Barinder Goyal and Hardeep Singh Mundian were also present on the occasion.

Bhattal’s son, grandson, others detained

Former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal’s son Rahulinder Singh Sidhu and grandson Sartajinder Singh Sidhu, along with several others, were detained after they tried to go to meet the CM on Saturday. A large number of Congress leaders and workers had gathered at Bhattal’s residence to hand over a seven-point memorandum related to the area to the CM. However, the police reportedly locked the main gate, triggering a protest. The Congress workers, wearing black ribbons, broke open the locks and came out in defiance, after which they were taken into custody.