*CM FLAGS OFF FIRST BATCH OF BUSES CARRYING DEVOTEES TO AMRITSAR

*SAYS INITIATIVE AIMED AT FULFILLING THE DESIRE OF PEOPLE TO PAY OBEISANCE AT SACRED PLACES

*SAYS THE STATE CONGRESS CHIEF HAS LOST HIS MENTAL BALANCE DUE TO WHICH HE IS ISSUING IRRESPONSIBLE STATEMENTS

*RECOVERY OF VVPAT SLIPS FROM THE GARBAGE DUMPS POSES SERIOUS QUESTION MARK OVER FUNCTIONING OF ECI

*ASSERTS CONGRESS LEADERS WHO JOINED BJP FOR BERTHS IN UNION GOVERNMENT ARE MERE ‘ORNAMENTAL MINISTERS’

Dhuri (Sangrur), November 9-Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Sunday flagged off the first batch of buses carrying devotees for paying obeisance at holy city of Amritsar under the Mukh Mantri Tirath Yatra Scheme.

Interacting with the devotees, the Chief Minister said that this pilgrimage is dedicated to the 350th martyrdom anniversary of the ninth Guru, Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. He said that this scheme was launched on October 29, 2025, from the village Bararwal and the selection of these devotees has been done in a transparent manner through a draw. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this is a humble initiative to strengthen social and religious harmony among Punjabis by facilitating pilgrimages to holy places.

The Chief Minister said that this initiative fulfills the heartfelt wish of the elderly people who have long desired to visit sacred religious sites. He said that under the scheme the Devotees will be taken to visit Sri Harmandir Sahib, Durgiana Temple, Bhagwan Valmiki Tirath Sthal, Jallianwala Bagh, the Partition Museum, and other religious and historical places in Amritsar. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this scheme is for people of all castes, religions, income groups, and regions.

Divulging more details, the Chief Minister said that the state government has made elaborate arrangements for free three-day and two-night stay for the pilgrims. He said that devotees aged 50 years or above have been registered for the pilgrimage and a voter ID card has been made mandatory for registration. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the pilgrims will be provided with AC buses, AC hotel accommodations and meals free of cost.

The Chief Minister said that each bus will have an attendant to assist the passengers and a medical team will also accompany the pilgrims to provide immediate assistance in case of any emergency. He said that after the completion of the pilgrimage, all devotees will be given prasad. Meanwhile, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that Punjab is the sacred land of great Gurus, deities, saints, and martyrs who gave us the message of brotherhood, unity, and communal harmony.

The Chief Minister said that he considers himself blessed that God has bestowed him the duty of serving the people through this noble cause. He said that this scheme is in line with the teachings and philosophy of the great Guru sahibans who had given the message of universal love, brotherhood and peace to the people. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that a large section of society in the state were not able to visit these sacred places across the country due to one reason or another.

However, the Chief Minister said that now the state government has started this scheme to facilitate the pilgrims to visit the various holy places across the country and state. He appealed to all devotees to actively participate in the various events, religious processions, and main programs being held across different districts and at Sri Anandpur Sahib, for commemorating the martyrdom day of the Ninth Guru, Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state government has already chalked out a detailed program to commemorate this historic occasion through a series of events.

Replying to a query, the Chief Minister said that the state Congress Chief has lost his mental balance due to which he is making irresponsible and irrational statements. He said that such frivolous statements are not made by a normal or sensible person adding that the state Congress Chief sensing his party's inevitable defeat in Tarn Taran poll, the Lok Sabha MP has been baffled due to which he is indulging in such acts. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that recovery of slips of VVPAT and EVMs from the garbage dumps and house of BJP leaders respectively poses serious question mark over the free and fair polls along with the working of Election Commission of India.

The Chief Minister expressed concern that the declining credibility of the Election Commission of India can prove fatal for democracy. He said that the Election Commission should clarify its position if any political party is raising questions over EVM and vote theft. However, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the Election Commission is mum whereas BJP is acting as its mouthpiece which is very wrong.

The Chief Minister reiterated that the BJP led NDA government at the centre has been desperately trying for a backdoor entry in the Panjab University, which will not be allowed. He said that ever since inception, the Panjab University, Chandigarh is part of the emotional, cultural, literature and rich legacy of the state. Bhagwant Singh Mann bemoaned that regular attempts are being made to change the status of the university, but he said that the Punjab government will not allow any such move in the larger interests of the students.

The Chief Minister said that the BJP is suffering from anti-Punjab syndrome due to which they are hell bent on ruining the state. He said that the BJP doesn’t allow the tableaus of the state to participate in the Independence Day and Republic Day functions. Likewise, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the undue interference in BBMB, Panjab University and other affairs also reflect the hostile attitude of the saffron party towards the state.

The Chief Minister further said that Congress leaders who had joined BJP for berths in GoI are mere ‘ornamental Ministers’ as they don’t have any power to sanction any project. He quipped that leaders like Jyotiraditya Scindia, Ravneet Bittu and others hardly have any power for giving any project to the states and they are Union Ministers only of name. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that with the NDA government led by Narendra Modi giving major push to privatization of key sectors these Ministers have been left jobless.

The Chief Minister slammed the Union government for meting out step motherly treatment with the state especially in this hour of grave crisis. He said that the state is yet to receive Rs 1600 crore announced by the Prime Minister for the flood relief adding that to aggrieve the situation the centre government is trying to adjust the funds from other ongoing schemes in this too. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the Union government should stop this maltreatment with the state which is the food bowl and the sword arm of the country.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister said that as the food growers of the state have suffered a whopping loss during the recent floods, the state government is providing two lakh quintal seeds worth Rs 74 crore free of cost to them. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the process to distribute the seeds free of cost to the farmers of the flood affected districts had started and will be completed soon. He also said that the state government has also disbursed compensation worth Rs 20,000 per acre to the farmers for crop loss, which is the highest ever given by any state government in the country.

On the occasion Cabinet Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian and others were also present.