Chandigarh: Describing Congress and BJP as twin faces of same coin, the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann today said that the confidence motion in state assembly has been necessitated as both the parties have joined hands to topple the democratically elected governments in the state.
“BJP is using anti-defection law as a new tool to form governments in the state through back door in the country and unfortunately despite of being its worst victim the Congress is supporting it”, said the Chief Minister while introducing the Confidence motion in the state assembly.
The Chief Minister said that BJP has toppled the elected governments in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and others by luring the MLAs. However, he said that they failed in their sinister moves thrice in Delhi and now also in Punjab they trying to purchase the MLAs with money. Bhagwant Mann said that BJP is running behind mirage with an aim to garner power in the state and in this attempt they are using pennies to purchase Aces of AAP.
The Chief Minister said that BJP his using its moneybags to cause an irreparable loss to the democracy. He said that in the past Congress has done the same and now the saffron party is following its footsteps. Citing an example of connivance amongst Congress and BJP, Bhagwant Mann said that Congress leadership has started ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ from Kanyakumari to Kashmir but the poll bound states of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh have been deliberately excluded to give benefit to the BJP.
The Chief Minister said that the Aam Aadmi Party has set new agenda of public welfare in the politics. He said that due to this the BJP leadership has been forced to shun its divisive agenda and talk about the well being of people. Bhagwant Mann said that it is the AAP effect that the leaders who had divided the people are now seen inaugurating schools, colleges and hospitals.
The Chief Minister said that turncoats are ruling the roost now and former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, who had tacitly towed the line of BJP during his stint, has now formally joined the party. Training his guns against former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, he said that for the first time any CM face of a political party has gone missing after defeat in polls. Bhagwant Mann said that as a fact of matter fear of misdeeds during their regime is haunting the former Chief Minister due to which he is on run.
The Chief Minister said that these are the rejected leaders who have been ousted by people for their non performance. He said that these leaders who have been shunted out of the state assembly by the people are now organizing ‘Imaginative or Mock’ assembly sessions to mislead the people and vent out their frustration. Bhagwant Mann said that the people of state have given vote for the hope and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is making strenuous efforts to make Punjab a frontrunner state in country.
The Chief Minister said that his government has passed the historic ‘One MLA, One Pension’ scheme to ensure judicious utilization of public funds adding that around 100 Aam Aadmi Clinics have been dedicated across the state to people for imparting quality health services. Similarly, he said that 600 units of free power are being provided to lakhs of households across the state. Bhagwant Mann said that on one hand the process for new recruitment has been started and on the other wheels have also been set in motion to regularize the jobs of contractual employees adding that the state government will soon embark on a scheme to provide Atta Dal to the beneficiaries at their doorsteps.
The Chief Minister said that in Democracy government is of the people, for the people and by the people but BJP and Congress are trying to insult the mandate of people through ‘Operation Lotus’. Citing the example of Mughal gardens in Rashtrapati Bhawan, he said that it has variety of flowers due to which people throng to see it. In the same manner, Bhagwant Mann said that in democracy opposition and treasury benches are also important.
The Chief Minister said that these days it has became a tradition that proceedings of house are disrupted and the political leaders often take pride on it. However, he said that through this the soul of democracy is hurt which is not healthy sign. Bhagwant Mann said that the people of the state have expressed whopping confidence in the policies of the government and this motion has been moved to restore this confidence.
The Chief Minister said that this motion reflects that people have faith in us and we have faith in people. Bhagwant Mann said that the BJP is making despretae attempts to purchase the confidence of the people but this will never be allowed at any cost. He said that defeats are part of life but Congress is not able to digest it due to which it is supporting ‘Operation Lotus’.
The Chief Minister said that this reflects the bankruptcy of Congress which has now gone to the extent of even selling their MLAs. He said that the top Congress leadership has embarked ‘Bharat Jodo’ yatra but it is not able to set its house in Rajasthan. Taking leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa to cudgels, Bhagwant Mann said that the senior Congress leader is baffled over failing of Operation Lotus’, as if his secret agreement has failed.
The Chief Minister said that through this motion the facts are being put before the people as the session was going live. However, he said that those who had been demanding this session have ran away from the debate. Bhagwant Mann said that the Congress leaders were acting as ‘B’ team of the BJP and it is unfortunate that the Congress leaders have shamefully raised slogans against the Speaker of the state assembly- who is the custodian of the august house.