Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led Centre government, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Congress leaders while addressing a ‘Lok Milni’ programme at Sahib Chand village in the Gidderbaha Assembly segment in Muktsar district on Sunday evening.
Speaking for 40 minutes from the stage at the village ‘sath’ (common village land), Mann said the state was passing through a “very sensitive phase”, alleging that Punjab was facing pressure from the Centre on one side and security threats through drones from Pakistan on the other.
“A good government is being deliberately projected as a failure, but we will not let that happen,” he told the gathering.
During the address, Mann repeatedly targeted the Badal family, including former minister Bikram Singh Majithia and PCC chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, who has remained a three-time MLA from the constituency.
Besides, he targeted BJP leader Manpreet Singh Badal, who has been a four-time MLA from Gidderbaha, and SAD (A) President Simranjit Singh Mann. He claimed that people had now found a “third alternative” beyond the traditional parties.
He also defended the state government’s recently passed stricter anti-sacrilege law, the Jaagt Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026, saying strict legal provisions had now been introduced to deal with incidents of desecration.
The Chief Minister said the law had brought relief to Sikh sentiments and claimed that only “one family” (referring to the Badals) was opposing it.
Further, referring to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) leadership, he alleged that the SGPC president should act as Guru Gobind Singh’s soldier rather than remain loyal to Sukhbir Badal.
Mann also took a dig at the SAD and BJP over their alliance talks, as well as at the internal leadership tussles within the state Congress unit.
He further highlighted several pro-people initiatives undertaken by the state government over the past four years.
He also announced a grant of Rs 31 lakh for interlocking tiles in the village and Rs 20 lakh for a village pond, and handed over a cheque to the local MLA and village sarpanch.
The Chief Minister also referred to a recent NITI Aayog-related education survey and claimed that Punjab had surpassed Kerala in school-related indicators, including electricity, computers, and subjects such as mathematics and languages.
Mann also conducted an informal show-of-hands survey among villagers on whether they wanted the AAP government to return to power. He asked three questions related to zero electricity bills, Rs 10 lakh health cards, and whether they would like to see the AAP government return to power.
Earlier, Gidderbaha MLA Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon listed the government’s achievements and local demands before the Chief Minister’s address.
Tight security arrangements were in place during the programme. Those wearing black clothes were not allowed entry by the police.
