Amid ongoing rumours whether Navjot Singh Sidhu will leave the Congress, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday said that Navjot Singh Sidhu is a Congressman and will find a way to fulfil his wishes.
"I have known Navjot Sidhu since he was 2-years-old. He is a Congressman," Captain Amarinder said at a press conference.
Punjab chief minister speaking on Sidhu's desires is significant as Navjot met Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Feb 25 and apprised her about the current situation in Punjab.
"Once Sindhu makes up his mind to do something, nobody can change that. He is part of our party, we will keep all his wishes in mind and try to find a solution for it," he added.
The Chief Minister also said, "I will ensure that those who are guilty in the Bargari sacrilege case will be punished."
Declaring that he will not allow mining, liquor, drug and transport mafias, or gangsters and terrorists disturb the state's peaceful environment, the Chief Minister asserted that "I will be absolutely harsh against these people."
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"As ex-Army personnel, I know how to deal with them," he added.
While vowing to eliminate all mafias from the state, the Chief Minister said his government was working on this matter since taking over Punjab's reins, "but these things take time." "We have done our best, and we could not have done any better considering the situation," he said, complimenting his Cabinet colleagues and officers for the excellent job done by them.
The Chief Minister also said that he will personally take up with the Union Home Minister the issue of shifting top gangsters out of Punjab prisons, as already proposed by state Jails Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa.
The government will bring unprecedented development and fulfilment of the promises made in the manifesto in the next two years, he added.
Describing unemployment as his biggest concern, he announced that one lakh government vacancies would be filled in the next two years, through a transparent and merit-based system of selection. The aim is to achieve the target of 20 lakh total employment by 2022, he added.
Referring to complaints of continued illegal practices in sand mining, Captain Amarinder said he has asked the Water Resources Minister to thoroughly review and make this system fully transparent.
The government's aim is to ensure a steady supply of sand at an affordable rate at the pithead with proper use of technology to check any illegal activity by the contractors or illegal miners, he said, adding that new mining proposals would be announced by the government two-three weeks.
Captain Amarinder said his government will soon bring in the new Lokpal Bill (covering all government functionaries including the Chief Minister), along with Punjab Anti Red Tape legislation and a Land Leasing and Tenancy Act.
The Chief Minister also announced 750 rural sports stadiums to be set up across Punjab in order to promote sports and improve the health & fitness of youth, and the establishment of a world-class Law University in Tarn Taran.
He further said that the government is all its efforts to promote Punjabi language in the state.
The Chief Minister said, in response to a question, that the elections to be municipal bodies will be held soon after the process of demarcation is completed. He agreed that indications of the central government ending the MSP regime was a matter of concern and urged the Centre not to consider any such move.
On the protests by unemployed teachers, he said gherao was not the solution and his government was doing it best to address the problem. "We will not give in to any pressure," he added.
Today his government completed three years of the five-year tenure.