Chandigarh, 28 March 2025 (Punjab Khabarnama Bureau): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann today chose to give a political speech, rather than speak on the precarious fiscal health of the state or the steps taken by his government for fiscal consolidation, concluding the discussion on his government’s fourth Budget for 2025-26.
Mann briefly spoke of the irrigation channels that had been created by his government and the efforts to save groundwater. However, many Opposition leaders, including BJP’s Ashwani Sharma, Congress’ Aruna Chaudhary and SAD’s Manpreet Singh Ayali sought to know why women were not given the promised Rs 1,000 per month honorarium even after three years of the AAP rule.
However, Mann chose the occasion to strongly defend his party’s Rajya Sabha MP Balbir Singh Seechewal, who was targetted by Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa yesterday. He also defended the presence of his own party’s central leaders in Chandigarh, throwing a barb at the Congress, asking: “Where does your leader Bhupesh Baghel come from?” Bajwa had already left the House when the CM addressed the MLAs.
He also raked up the infighting in the Congress, saying “when Baghel came, he did not even know how great a sportsperson Pargat Singh is. I get intelligence reports and I know exactly what happened. Baghel told Pargat that he heard he played hockey, to which the LoP responded that he lost in two Olympic Games. Pargat, unwilling to take it lying down, had said at least I am not into smuggling, I was playing for the country”. Mann also said the Congress leaders, other than the LoP, were the “organic Congressi” and are peace loving. “Sometimes, when I look at these well-behaved people on the other side of the House, I want to invite them to come and join us,” he said.
Discreetly hitting at the Opposition MLA for alleged corruption while their parties were in power, he explained that though his government had kept Rs 5 crore for each of the 117 constituencies under Rangla Punjab Vikas Scheme, he hoped “… you people, pointing to the Opposition side, will not fall prey to your old habits of utilising the money on paper by showing construction of walls of cremation grounds. I will get the funds utilised on your asking, audited,” he said.
“Raula paan wale tan chale gaye… Ghar ja ke supne dekh de ne ki Bhagwant CM nahin reha (those who create ruckus in the House, referring to Partap Bajwa, have left for their homes). We might not have swanky cars or clothes like him, but some of us are lawyers and doctors and can manage the affairs of the state better. He (Bajwa) asked for the qualification of Seechewal and insulted him, but he forgot that his model and environmental activism have been praised by those holding the highest office of President,” said the CM.
He added, “Punjab has already tested what the ‘Doon wale’ (in reference to Manpreet Badal), ‘Sanawar wale’ (in reference to Sukhbir Badal) and ‘PPS wale’ ( referring to Partap Bajwa) have done for the state.”
Earlier, Finance Minister Harpal Cheema said during the past three years of the AAP rule, they had managed to increase the revenue receipts manifold, while the previous Akali BJP and the Congress government never did anything to increase the revenue. “They only increased the debt of the stars, which we are repaying and bearing the cost of interest on the debt. In five years of the Akali-BJP rule in 2012-17, the CAPEX was just Rs 14,641 crore, in next five years of the Congress, it was Rs 19,356 crore. In three years, we have built capital assets worth Rs 19,810 crore,” he said.
Though Mann’s witty speech kept everyone entertained, the Opposition party MLAs, who participated in the debate — Rana Gurjit Singh, Barindermeet Singh Pahra, Avtar Henry Junior — punctured holes in the Budget. They dissented when the Budget was finally passed in the House.
Summary: Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann concludes the budget discussion with sharp yet humorous remarks aimed at the Congress party.