After Pannun threat, Mann says won't let 'anti-Punjab' forces succeed

Chandigarh: A day after Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, designated terrorist by India, issued a veiled threat to him and the Punjab police chief, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday said he is the custodian of peace and prosperity of the state and such intimidation tactics cannot stop him from this task.

Speaking on the sidelines of a function to hand over job letters to youths, the chief minister said such threats are a natural outcome of the zero-tolerance policy adopted by his government against anti-Punjab forces and efforts are on to bring back criminals involved in anti-national activities from safe havens abroad to punish them.

These people are trying to disturb the hard-earned peace of the state but his government will not allow these forces to succeed in their evil designs, he asserted.

"The masterminds of such anti-Punjab stances have taken shelter in countries abroad but we are trying to bring them back and punish them for their sins," he said.

Mann said that being a border state, there are challenges both from within and outside the state but they will face them valiantly by not succumbing to such threats.

The countries that are safe haven to such dreaded criminals should also send these hardcore criminals back to the state in the larger interest of world peace, said Mann.

The Indian government should also take steps to bring such dreaded anti-national criminals back to the country and punish them as per the law of the land, said the CM.

Khalistani terrorist Pannun had asked gangsters in the state to join the banned outfit Sikhs For Justice and stop top political leaders from attending the Republic Day parade.

Pannun was designated as a terrorist by the Union home ministry under the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Sikh for Justice banned in 2020.

CM Mann also took a swipe at Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu for targeting his government over the state debt issue.

Mann dubbed the former cricketer as a "fugitive" saying he ran away from discharging his duty when he was offered the charge of Power minister.

"When he (Sidhu) was the minister, he did not do anything and when he was given the power department, he did not take it," said Mann.

He said when the state government started a reverse trend by purchasing a private thermal power plant, Sidhu was making "baseless and misleading" statements.

"He (Sidhu) has studied in big schools. Please bring complete data. Having little knowledge is too dangerous," Mann told Sidhu, adding that the former MP must verify his facts before giving any statement.

To another question, Mann expressed confidence that his party AAP will win all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab in the coming general elections due to the performance of his government.

"History will be created in the state by 13-0, where 13 seats will be a verdict in favour of pro-people policies of the state government," he said.