Will ensure exemplary punishment to murderers of Shubhkaran- announces CM

Chandigarh: Expressing deep shock over death of young farmer Shubhkaran Singh, the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday announced to ensure exemplary punishment to the officers responsible for death of the youth.

The Chief Minister said that he had seen the video of gruesome murder of the young farmer who was there to exercise his democratic right. He said that after investigation FIR will be registered against the people responsible for death of the youth and exemplary punishment to them will be ensured. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state government is fully with the family of the deceased youth in this hour of crisis and they will be helped socially and economically.

The Chief Minister further said that the death of youth is a result of the high handedness of the Union and Haryana government. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that he had tried his level best to ensure that the farmers and youth do not face the bullets, water cannons, tear shells and others. For this, he said that he acted as a bridge to ensure that the farmers and Union government at some consensus but unfortunately it never happened.

The Chief Minister said that he was part of two out of the four meetings held between the farmers and the Union government. However, he said that the demands of the farmers were to be accepted by the Union government, which unfortunately failed to fulfill its duty. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that rather than accepting their demands the farmers were unlawfully stopped by Haryana by putting barbed wires.

The Chief Minister said that the farmers wanted to go to their national capital and lodge their peaceful protest but Haryana government stopped them forcefully. He said that centre should have allotted some place to farmers for their protest in the national capital but instead of that Haryana government stopped the farmers and used force on them. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this is grave insult of the food growers of the state who have made country self reliant in food production.

The Chief Minister said that it is ironical that the Punjabis who had made more than 90% sacrifices for the country during freedom struggle are not allowed to visit the capital of their own country. He said that instead of listening to the issues of the farmers the Union government had turned a blind eye towards their genuine demands. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the last meeting between centre and farmers had took place on January 22, 2021 and for three long years the demands of farmers had taken a backseat.

The Chief Minister unequivocally said that had the centre been sincere about the grievances of the farmers then this situation would have never arisen. He said that centre is only concerned about toppling the democratically elected governments in opposition ruled states and the welfare of common man is not on their agenda. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that these tyranny rulers are just concerned about enjoying the fruits of powers by ignoring the interest of the people.

However, the Chief Minister said that as this protest can give a major setback to economy of the state so he had been trying for an amicable solution for it. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that he never wanted that the state and its people should suffer economically due to which he had mediated in the talks. Unfortunately, he said that centre has been non serious about the talks from day one due to which the situation has aggravated today.

The Chief Minister categorically said that there is no law and order problem in the state as farmers are protesting peacefully. However, he said that Haryana is creating law and order problem by using force in the peaceful farmers which is unjustified and unwarranted. Reminding the BJP leaders about severe law and order problem in Manipur and even in Nuh at Haryana, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that Punjab is much peaceful than that.

The Chief Minister said that in order to provide immediate health services to the agitating farmers the state government has deployed Ambulances and vehicles of Sadak Surakhya Force at the site. He said that as most of the farmers are coming up with problem of eyes due to use of tear gas so two Ministers the state government as one MLA, who are eye specialists have been deployed at the hospitals. Bhagwant Singh Mann said Health Minister Dr Balbir will oversee all such cases at Patiala another Cabinet Minister Dr Baljit Kaur will be stationed at Patran and Khanori whereas MLA Dr Charanjit Singh Channi will be stationed at Rajpura hospital.

On the canards of imposition of President rule in the state, the Chief Minister categorically said that he can kick this chair for the sake of the people of state 100 times. He warned the centre not to intimidate them with these gimmicks as they are not power hungry but they are here to serve the people and the state zealously. Bhagwant Singh Mann also appealed the farmers to exercise restraint in this hour of crisis And face this oppression with patience as taught by the great Sikh Gurus.