Hoshiarpur-Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, on Saturday, addressed a huge public rally in Chabbewal, Hoshiarpur and saluted the dedication of the AAP workers and love of the common people towards him and his party. Mann said that the passion and enthusiasm of the AAP volunteers and our hard work differentiate us from other parties. He said that every step people take to reach rallies of the AAP is a step taken in the direction of revolution. Mann said that he has great regard for the love, respect and support of the people. He said that he is sure that after June 4th, AAP candidate Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal will be the voice of Hoshiarpur in the parliament.
Addressing the people, Mann said that the AAP leaders are from common families, unlike other parties no one is dynast or professional politician here. I was an artist, I achieved success at the young age of 17, I'm not here for money or fame. Similarly, Arvind Kejriwal ji and his wife, both were income tax commissioners, if they wanted money they could have earned loads of it. But we are in politics, to do work for the common people, to represent them, to solve their problems, to do development and to take our state and country forward in the right direction.
They (BJP) have put Arvind Kejriwal in jail because they think that by putting Arvind Kejriwal in jail they can suppress the voice of the Aam Aadmi Party. But they are mistaken, they cannot scare us or stop us. He said that the AAP is like a river and the river cannot be stopped or controlled, it makes its own path. Arvind Kejriwal is not just a person, he is an idea, you can arrest him but how can you stop his thinking.
We have done work we are asking for votes based on our work, and they, even after 10 years of their government in the centre, are still asking for votes based on religion and caste. The Modi government at centre did nothing in the ten years, they only sold the public departments like Rail, Bhel, LIC and airports. The only things the BJP gave the common people is inflation and unemployment, all actual benefits were given to capitalist friends of the Modi government.
Mann, recounting the achievements of his government in Punjab, said, I'm standing here today after giving 43, 000 government jobs to our youth, that too without any bribe or recommendation. Our children are getting selected in the police department, PSPCL and are becoming judges purely on the merit basis. An elderly man came to me and said that he was collecting 35 lakhs to send her daughter to Canada, they were about to sell her mother's jewellery but then the girl got the job of SDO in PSPCL. It has changed their lives. She didn't have to move to Canada for livelihood. This is the benefit of electing an honest government. Now I'm here among you, once again asking for your support, this time for the Lok Sabha elections. Vote for the AAP candidates, send pro-Punjab and pro-people voices to the parliament. They will raise your issues there and get your work done there. Right now I'm fighting alone against the BJP government, against the governor and fighting in the Supreme court for your rights, they are refusing to release our pending 8, 000 crore funds, strengthen me more, give me 13 more voices to talk for you in the biggest panchayat of our country.
Mann said that he's not only giving government jobs but also creating thousands of opportunities for the youth to get employment and to become someone who generates employment. He said that after Jamshedpur, Punjab's Ludhiana is getting the biggest Tata steel factory. Punjab has gotten 70, 000 crores worth investment since the formation of the AAP government. Earlier, industrialists and businessmen used to get harassed by the governments, politicians asked for shares in their businesses and bribes, but now anyone who is giving employment to our youth and contributing to the GDP of Punjab is getting full support from our government. Taking a dig at Badal, Mann said, they were pro-family, we are pro-Punjab (o parivar wale c, asi Punjab wale han), whole of Punjab is my family, I only take decisions for the welfare of Punjab and its people.
Mann said that this is the government of the people and it works for the people only. There is no place for corruption in the AAP government. To corrupt leaders, Mann said, 'jitne chahe ikathe krlo paise heere moti...magar khayal itna rakhna ki kaffan ke jeb nahi hoti'. He said that never loot the poor, God hears the prayers of the poor immediately. The traditional parties and politicians robbed the rights of the poor and that's why today they are nowhere to be found, they are completely rejected by the people. He said that his government worked hard to improve the Punjab, system in the government, employment rate etc, they ended mafias to save the future of our children, soon Punjab will be Rangla again, our youth will be healthy and happy again, just give us some more time and more strength/support so that we can do all the remaining work too.
Mann continued, give me 13 seats of Punjab, we are winning in Delhi, Gujarat, Assam and Kurukshetra, we'll have 20-25 MPs in the Lok Sabha, we already have 10 MPs in the Rajya Sabha. When you have 30-40 people advocating for your rights in the parliament, no one will be able to stop us. He said that he is not like other politicians, even after becoming the chief minister, he is just as accessible as before. He said that he remembers after becoming MP for the first time, when he went among the people, an elderly man cried after meeting him and said that it was the first time he met an MP face to face that he elected. Mann said that we are like you, for me you are not just voters, you're my family. He said that the CM also has high protocol for security, but still whenever he sees people gathered, he asks them to stop the car, he meets people and listens to them, he is always overwhelmed by the love and blessings they shower him with. Earlier, the politicians used to stay in their bungalows and mahals after winning the elections, not allowing people to meet them but now the people have shown them their place and they are now unable to get out of their houses because of the shame.
Mann said that he is honoured that people gave him this responsibility. He said I asked for this responsibility and now I'll do his best to serve Punjab and Punjabis. Not everyone is lucky to get such a big responsibility and opportunity to serve their state. I know how big responsibility I have on my soldiers, I take every step with utmost caution, I only take decisions that will benefit Punjab and the common people. He said that he is well aware of the issues of the Hoshiarpur region, the AAP government is making 206 MW dam and a new canal will be built from it to give irrigation water. He said that before the farmers used to get 8 hours of electricity, that too heavily interpreted. But after forming the government, Mann called a meeting of officers and instructed them to give 11 hours of uninterrupted electricity to the farmers and that too in daytime so they can water their crops without any trouble.
He said that he even bought a thermal power plant in Goindwal Sahib for Punjab and named it after Guru Amardas ji. He said that they restarted mining from Punjab's coal mine in Jharkhand and now 3 government power plants in Punjab are getting cheaper coal and 90% of Households are getting zero electricity bills, farmers are getting uninterrupted electricity and there is cheaper electricity for industry too. He asked people, just boost my confidence by giving me 13-0 in Punjab, there will be a storm of development in our state, no one will be able to stop us or our funds. He said that in 2014, it was Punjab who gave 4 seats to the AAP, now in our fight to save against the dictatorship, Punjabis will be our biggest supporters once again. Concluding, Mann raised slogans of 'Punjab Banega Hero, es baar 13-0' with the people of Hoshiarpur.