Won’t allow Punjab’s peace, communal harmony to be disturbed: CM

Bathinda: Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann said on Sunday evening that the state's peace and communal harmony are sacrosanct and will never be allowed to be disturbed.Addressing a "Lok Milni" programme at Saahib Chand village in the Gidderbaha constituency of Muktsar, the CM asserted that divisive forces seeking to polarise the state would never succeed.Addressing the gathering, Mann warned opposition parties to desist from trying to drag Punjab back into its dark days through communal polarisation. He said Punjab's soil can nurture everything except hatred and animosity, adding that the people of the state remain united to defeat any attempt to spread fear or division.Targeting the BJP, Mann accused the party of playing politics by creating rifts between communities. He said Punjabis celebrate every festival together and would firmly reject such agendas. He also highlighted the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026, asserting that this legislation ensures no one accused of sacrilege can escape punishment by exploiting legal loopholes.The CM described Punjab as the sacred land of Gurus and saints who taught mutual love and tolerance. He urged Punjabis to give a befitting reply to forces inimical to the state's peace. "Those trying to disturb communal harmony are enemies of Punjab because they want to push the state back into black days," he said.Mann further claimed that while the BJP gained power in states like Maharashtra, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh through divisive politics, they would fail in Punjab. He argued that the BJP's strategy involves frightening different communities to secure votes, a tactic he said the state must outrightly reject.Turning his attention to Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Mann accused the former govt of plundering the state and patronising various mafias. He said the Akali leadership could never be forgiven for the flourish of the drug trade during their era of misrule, which he said destroyed entire generations.The CM said Punjab has secured the first position in foundational education in the NITI Aayog's 2026 report, even surpassing Kerala. He described the achievement as a matter of immense pride and satisfaction for the entire state.