हिंदी
Ludhiana, November 16:
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Thursday exhorted the Punjabis to take pledge for countering the narco-terrorism sponsored by anti-Punjab forces head on for making the state completely drug free.
Addressing the gathering before flagging off a massive anti drugs cycle rally organized by Punjab Police here on Thursday to commemorate the martyrdom day of Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha, the Chief Minister said that since inception Punjab has been constantly attacked by the invaders and Punjabis have faced them valiantly. He said that now the Punjabis are fighting a war against narco terrorism which is being funded by the ant-Punjab forces who want to derail the state. However, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the day is not far when Punjab will be a drug free state for which every Punjabi should take a vow.
The Chief Minister said that forces inimical to the state were hell bent upon branding the Punjabis as drug addicts just to present a wrong picture of the state before the country. He said that since time immemorial Punjab had been the sword arm of the country and its food bowl but ignoring this amass contribution of Punjabis a malicious propaganda has been unleashed by some political parties to label these patriotic sons of soil as drug addicts. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that now Punjab has launched a crusade against drugs for which Ardas was performed at Sri Harmandir Sahib in the sacred city of Amritsar.
The Chief Minister said that we need not to count the martyrs of Punjab as every village of Punjab has an imprint of these heroes on its soil. He said that as a fact of matter every inch of this sacred land has the footprint of great Gurus, saints, seers, martyrs and poets. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that Punjabis have been blessed with an indomitable spirit of hard work and resilience due to which they carve out space for themselves.
The Chief Minister said that the Punjab government has laid major thrust on the promotion of games in the state thereby utilizing the unbounded energy of youth in a positive direction. He said that for the first time the state government has given funds to the players for the preparation of games so that they excel in sporting events. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the result of this is that Punjabis have bagged 19 medals in the recently concluded Asian games, which is the highest tally of states in Asiad, since its inception.
The Chief Minister said that he very well knows that ‘idle mind is the devil’s workshop, so every effort is being made to provide jobs to youth so that they remain occupied in work. He said that every year 2100 posts in Punjab Police are being advertised for regular recruitment in the elite force adding that youth get inspired to work hard and become officers in Police. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that Punjab has launched a major crackdown against the drugs in the state and the smugglers are being put behind the bars.
The Chief Minister said that it is heartening to see that people from all walks of life are taking part in this huge cycle rally. He said that this reflects the commitment of people to make the state a frontrunner one by wiping out the social maladies from Punjab. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this is a step forward towards carving out a rangla Punjab in the coming times.
Paying glorious tribute to Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha on this historic day, the Chief Minister said that the real homage to this great martyr would be to take a pledge on this solemn day to further strengthen the bonds of unity, integrity and brotherhood in our country. He said that the state government has already declared November 16 as a Gazetted holiday every year in observance of the martyrdom day of Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that it will go a long way in perpetuating the glorious legacy of this martyr thereby ensuring that our coming generations are inspired by his life.
The Chief Minister said that the iconic martyr had laid down his life for emancipating the country from clutches of British Imperialism at a very young age. He said that martyrdom of Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha inspired several other youngsters like Shaheed Bhagat Singh to take part in the freedom movement and lay down their lives at the altar of the motherland. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the countrymen will ever remain indebted to the great martyr for his supreme sacrifice adding that for the first time the state government has also remembered six other associates of Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha-Shaheed Vishnu Ganesh Pingley (Pune, Maharashtra), Shaheed Jagat Singh (Tarn Taran), Shaheed Harnam Singh Sialkoti (Sialkot, Pakistan), Shaheed Bakshish Singh (Amritsar), Shaheed Surain Singh Senior (Amirtsar) and Shaheed Surain Singh Junior (Amritsar) who were hanged along with him.
On the occasion Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav and others were also present.
