Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday batted for the Bharat Ratna for legendary freedom fighters like Shaheed Udham singh, Shaheed Bhagat Singh and Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha who made unparalleled sacrifices for the country.
Bestowing the Bharat Ratna on these martyrs will enhance the prestige of this award, Mann after paying floral tributes to Shaheed Udham Singh at his memorial on his martyrdom day, according to an official release.
They deserve this award because they made supreme sacrifices towards achieving the country's freedom, he said.
But the Union government is "least bothered" about honouring such sons of the soil, he alleged. Rather, the chief minister said, the Centre is giving a "severe blow" to the legacy of these martyrs by "muzzling democracy" in the country.
These nationalists laid down their lives for the sake of freedom and democracy in the country but unfortunately the Union government is “jeopardizing the democratic system through ordinances”, Mann said apparently referring to the Delhi ordinance.
The chief minister said the supreme sacrifice made by Shaheed Udham Singh will always inspire the youth towards selfless service to the nation.
The chief minister said his government will make strenuous efforts to bring back the personal belongings of Shaheed Udham Singh from London. He said the state government will raise these issues at all the relevant platforms so as to bring back these belongings at the earliest.
He also said things associated with Shaheed Bhagat Singh lying in Pakistan will also be brought back.
Mann also gave a clarion call to people for launching another "freedom movement" to take forward the aspirations of the great martyrs by ousting those who "plundered the wealth of the country after the nation got freedom".
Though the country attained freedom from clutches of the British imperialism in 1947, the dreams of the nationalists, patriots and great martyrs were never fulfilled, he said, according to a government statement.
Successive governments at the Centre and in the state looted people, besides unleashing countless atrocities on them, he alleged. "Now the time has come when these atrocious leaders must be ousted for which a second movement of freedom struggle should be launched," said Mann.
Also during his speech, Mann again criticised former finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal saying the BJP leader who brought him into politics has been booked for his "misdeeds".
"When an FIR is also registered against Manpreet Badal then you accept it that I do not spare anyone. Alright, Badal brought me into politics," said Mann, adding that he continued to stand by his principals.
Mann said anyone who backstabs people of the state by misusing official position will have to definitely pay for his "sin".
After Badal appeared before the state vigilance bureau in a land matter on July 24, both the CM and the former finance minister continued to engage in a war of words.
A recent delegation of the BJP that met the governor over some issues comprised all the turncoats who had left the Congress to join the BJP, said Mann.
None of the old guard of BJP was a part of this delegation which was led by the new president of the saffron party, he added.
Taking a jibe, Mann said even the delegation was led by Sunil Jakhar, who himself was once the president of state Congress but shifted his to the BJP.
Mann said the state exchequer is no longer empty, but every single penny is being utilised for the wellbeing of the common man.
The CM said the state government has already ordered a special 'girdawari' (survey to assess loss) to ascertain the loss incurred to people due to floods in the state.
Mann assured the people that his government will compensate the people even if they had lost even a hen or a goat. The state government will not beg the Centre to give relief to the people in this hour of crisis, said Mann.
The state government has enough resources to bail the people out of this grave crisis, said Mann, adding his government will not seek even a single penny from the Union government for the victims of the flood.
