Gurpreet Singh :- Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday launched a strong political attack on opposition leaders, accusing traditional parties of encouraging gangster culture in the state for electoral gains. Speaking to reporters, Mann said his government does not shelter criminals or offer them political space, asserting that the administration’s focus is on bringing offenders before the law rather than protecting them.
Taking a swipe at Sukhbir Singh Badal, the Chief Minister mocked recent remarks in which the Akali leader had asked gangsters to leave Punjab. Mann remarked that such statements create the impression that criminals were earlier accommodated in politics and even encouraged to contest elections.
Mann further claimed that his party neither gives election tickets to gangsters nor promotes their relatives to political positions, adding that such practices were part of the political culture followed by earlier governments. He reiterated that the present administration is committed to dismantling the network of organised crime in the state.
The Chief Minister also targeted Congress leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, accusing him of hypocrisy for lecturing others on law and parliamentary conduct. Mann said individuals who previously used harsh language in political discourse are now attempting to portray themselves as champions of democratic decorum.
Reaffirming his government’s stance, Mann said the rise of gangsterism in Punjab was largely due to the political patronage extended to criminal elements by previous regimes. He added that those who once operated comfortably even from inside prisons are now facing strict action under the law as the government moves to curb organised crime across the state.
