Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday criticized the BJP-led central government over the steep rise in fuel prices, stating that the burden has once again been passed on to the common man soon after elections. He remarked that the government continues to lecture citizens on cutting expenses and savings while imposing higher costs.
Mann highlighted that people across the country are struggling with inflation, rising transport costs, and increasing household expenditure. Instead of providing relief, he said, the Centre is asking citizens to reduce personal spending. Mann stated, "The Prime Minister is roaming abroad while giving lessons on savings to people of the country." He pointed out that ordinary citizens are repeatedly advised to avoid unnecessary travel and reduce expenses, while the Prime Minister continues frequent foreign visits at public expense.
Questioning the contradiction in the Centre's messaging, the Chief Minister said, "Should people of the country stop travelling abroad and do work from home? Then can the Prime Minister not do work from home as well?" He added that the entire world has been impacted by war and global economic uncertainty, but no other country's head has advised citizens to focus on savings in the manner being done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Mann said, "Thankfully, the Prime Minister only advised people to save money and didn't ask them to beat thalis and clap again." He asserted that instead of symbolic gestures and lectures, people expect practical steps to control inflation and reduce the financial burden on households, farmers, and small businesses.
Referring to the impact of global developments, Mann said war and economic instability have affected countries across the world, but governments elsewhere are trying to provide relief to citizens rather than shifting the burden onto the public through higher prices and moral lectures on expenditure. "War has impacted the entire world, but no other country's head apart from PM Modi's has advised its citizens to focus on savings like this," he added.
AAP will win local body polls: Mann
Meanwhile, expressing confidence ahead of the upcoming local body elections, Mann said people are strongly backing the government because visible development is taking place on the ground. Mann alleged that the Shiromani Akali Dal has steadily lost both public support and credibility due to years of political decline and disconnect from people's aspirations. He said the Akalis no longer command the trust they once enjoyed among Punjabis.
He further stated that the Akalis bruised the psyche of every Punjabi in general and Sikhs in particular through incidents of sacrilege. He added that Punjabis will never forgive the Akalis for their sins against Punjab and its people.
