Previous govts looted Punjab, Mann spending on development: Kejriwal

Hoshiarpur, Nov 18 (PTI) Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal Saturday slammed the previous state governments for "looting" Punjab, and said the AAP government is an honest government which was spending on the development of the state.

Kejriwal also asked people to support Mann for a "stream of progress" in the state previously unheard of.

The Delhi chief minister and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann earlier launched and laid foundation stones for development projects worth Rs 867 crore for the Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha constituency.

"It is a historic day for the Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha seat. The Bhagwant Mann government brought a package of Rs 867 crore for this parliamentary constituency," said Kejriwal during his address at the 'Vikas Kranti' rally.

The AAP supremo said it has never happened in the last 75 years that any government had announced such a package for the Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha constituency.

Under the Rs 867 crore package, a medical college, mohalla clinics, water supply and sewerage treatment plants, playgrounds and other development projects will come up, Kejriwal said.

Targeting the state's opposition parties, Kejriwal asked the gathering at the rally if Hoshiarpur MP Som Parkash had met them in the last five years.

"Had (former chief minister) Captain Amarinder Singh shown his face in Hoshiarpur? Had former chief minister (Parkash Singh) Badal sahib who was in government for ten years in the state come to Hoshiarpur?" asked Kejriwal.

However, in the last one and a half years, Mann has visited Hoshiarpur several times more than Amarinder Singh, Parkash Singh Badal and Som Parkash, he said.

Amarinder, Badal and Parkash never cared about your well-being, Kejriwal told the gathering.

"Your son, your brother — Bhagwant Mann is among you round the clock. This time strengthen Bhagwant Mann's hands," he said.

"If you strengthen his hands, there will be a stream of progress in villages which nobody has seen," said Kejriwal.

Lauding the Mann government, Kejriwal said a lot of work was being carried out in health, education and other sectors in Punjab.

Kejriwal said a new scheme will come up in which wheat or wheat flour will be delivered at the doorsteps of beneficiaries.

“Another scheme is coming in one or two months, and now you will not have to visit government offices for your work. You will be given a phone number and a government officer will come to your home to do the work,” he said.

“A revolution is going to come in Punjab,” Kejriwal said.

Kejriwal said if the AAP government could do so much work in just one-and-half year why did the previous governments fail.

"Today, a package of over Rs 850 crore was given to you. They (previous governments) used to say that the government was in deficit. Then how have we got so much funds? We are giving Rs 850 crore for one Lok Sabha seat. We made electricity free, set up mohalla clinics… From where did the money come," said Kejriwal.

"AAP's government is an honest government. We are saving each penny which they used to loot. Now all this money is being spent on you, your family and the development of Punjab," said Kejriwal.

“Guru Maharaj had given a message to work for the poor and destitute. The AAP government is walking on the path of the teachings of Guru Maharaj.

"Hum sarkar nahin chala rahe, hum punya kama rahe hain (We are not running the government, we are earning goodwill by serving the people),” said Kejriwal.

Slamming previous governments for "ignoring" the health sector, Kejriwal said a medical college will be set up in Hoshiarpur.

Of four medical colleges in Punjab, one was set up by the Britishers and three came up after Independence, said Kejriwal.

“In 75 years, only three medical colleges were set up. Our government has announced five more medical colleges in Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, Sangrur, Malerkotla and Moga in the last one and a half years, " he said.

The Delhi CM said that Mann decided to set up more medical colleges when many Indian medical students, including 350 from Punjab, got stranded in Ukraine when the war with Russia broke out.

When the 350 students returned, the Punjab government decided to make Punjab an education hub, said Kejriwal. PTI