Bhagwant Mann mocks PM Modi’s foreign tours, questions diplomatic gains

Punjab Chief Minister alleged that “he finds time to tour abroad but ‘fails’ to address the concerns of 140 crore Indians”.

Chandigarh: Bhagwant Singh Mann on Friday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s diplomatic visits by saying that, as the Chief Minister of Punjab, he has every right to question the foreign policy of the country.

The Chief Minister told the media here that he will repeatedly ask the question about the foreign visits of Modi. “During the India-Pakistan war, none of the countries across the globe supported our country, so what is the use of such visits?” Mann questioned. CM Mann hit back at MEA criticism, raising concerns over the unresolved Punjab-Haryana water dispute.

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He said more people watch a JCB machine than the population of countries from which “he gets the highest honours”. He alleged that “he finds time to tour abroad but ‘fails’ to address the concerns of 140 crore Indians”.

A day earlier, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) termed Mann’s comments ‘irresponsible’. “Do not know which countries he goes to. Now he has gone to, I don’t know… (But) He is not staying in the country where 140 crore people live. The countries which he is visiting have a population of 15,000. And he got the biggest awards there. Over here, 15,000 people gather to watch the JCB machine,” he said.

The Chief Minister also slammed the Prime Minister for not holding a press conference in the 11 years he has been in office. He said the dreaded gangsters are patronised by the BJP-led Central government, who are lodged in the jails in Gujarat.

Mann said strict action would be taken against those involved in organised crime and drugs, adding that no leniency will be adopted against them.

The Chief Minister said that the Union government is “hell bent upon muzzling the voice of democracy by lodging FIRs against AAP and its leaders”. He said, “It is a new order of the day that whosoever will speak truth will have to face FIRs,” adding Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh and others were put behind bars just for speaking the truth.

He said they are ready to face all such efforts to muzzle their voice by the Centre, adding they have full faith in the law of the land, which is there to save them.

Mann said more arrests and FIRs will take place as the BJP and its leaders want to shut our voice for speaking against Modi. The Chief Minister said, “It is a historic day for the state as five pro-people bills have been passed in the state Vidhan Sabha unanimously”.

He said every effort is being made to restore the pristine glory of the state, and no stone will be left unturned for it. CM Mann said more such pro-Punjab and development-oriented decisions will be taken by the state government in the coming times.