Giving a befitting reply to those questioning the nationalistic credentials of Punjab, the Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Thursday made it clear that Punjabis have never ever shied away from making sacrifices for the nation and are as patriot a race as any other in the country.Referring to the yesterday's incident of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi having to go back without addressing the crowd at Ferozepur, the Chief Minister said here at Dana Mandi that the fact of the matter was that barely 700 people turned up at rally site which forced the PM to retrace his steps and later the blame was pinned on the Punjab Government citing security threat to the Prime Minister. "The truth is that five days before the scheduled rally of the Prime Minister, the Special Protection Group (SPG) took over the landing spot, rally site and each security detail but later on the Prime Minister's cavalcade suddenly took land route", said Channi adding the route was cleared by the SPG.
The Chief Minister reiterated that if there is any danger to the Prime Minister then every Punjabi is nationalist enough to shed his blood and face the bullets as they have done before in the service of the nation.Sounding a note of caution, CM Channi asked the forces inimical to Punjab to stop defaming the State. He further questioned what the intelligence paraphernalia around the Prime Minister doing had they sensed any threat perception to the latter's safety.Likewise, CM Channi asked the anti-Punjab forces to shun vendetta politics and advised them to ponder over why the people especially farmers don't like them.Earlier, CM Channi paid obeisance at Gurdwara Sri Charan Kanwal Sahib, Machhiwara Sahib and offered a Rumala Sahib there. He was given a robe of honour 'Siropa' by Head Granthi Harpal Singh and Manager Sarabdayal Singh. He was also given a painting of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji in which Guru Sahib is depicted resting at 'Machhiwara da Jangal' under the historical Jand Sahib.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister also launched the formal taking over of National College for Women (Machhiwara) as the Government College for Women.Coming to the pro-people measures undertaken by his government, the Chief Minister said that Rs. 2000 would soon be credited into the bank account of every youth of the State. Besides, he listed reduction in the prices of petrol and diesel by Rs. 10 and Rs. 5 respectively, Reducing power tariff for domestic consumers by Rs. 3, Bringing water charges down to flat Rs. 50, Waiving off the power bills to the tune of Rs. 19 crore of the gaushalas, Increasing the monthly honorarium of the 52000 Anganwari workers besides the 67000 ASHA workers and Mid Day Meal workers as the main achievements of his government.
Taking on Kejriwal, the Chief Minister linked him to the British colonialists who are out to capture Punjab aided by cronies such as Bhagwant Mann. Further, the Chief Minister said that Bikram Singh Majithia is a fugitive who is on the run from law owing to his misdeeds.Among others present on the occasion included the Industries and Commerce Minister Gurkirat Singh Kotli, MLA (Samrala) Amrik Singh Dhillon, MLA (Payal) Lakhbir Singh Lakha and senior Congress leaders Satwinder Kaur Bitti, Director (Administration) Karanbir Singh Dhillon, Kamaljit Singh Dhillon, Chairman Market Committee Darshan Kundra, President Municipal Council, Surinder Kundra, Chairman Improvement Trust, Shakti Anand.