PM Who Boasted of Making Country ‘Vishav Guru’ Has Reduced it to ‘Vishav Chela’: CM Bhagwant Singh Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday tore into the Narendra Modi-led Union government over its handling of the Gulf war situation, saying the Centre is using the conflict as a shield to hide the complete collapse of its foreign and economic policies while pushing the country towards an undeclared lockdown-like situation. Questioning the Centre’s repeated appeals for austerity and restraint, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said no other country affected by the global crisis has asked its citizens to stop buying petrol, diesel, gas or gold, adding that the Modi government owes the nation answers on the actual status of India’s reserves instead of spreading panic and inconvenience. Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his foreign policy, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said the same leadership that once claimed India would become a “Vishav Guru” has reduced the country to a “Vishav Chela,” while pointing out that the Prime Minister’s foreign visits have yielded little for ordinary Indians except benefits for a handful of favoured industrialists who accompany him abroad for business deals. Interacting with media persons on the sidelines of launching an ambitious project to put high-tension wires underground, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said the Modi government has completely failed on both foreign and economic policy fronts, due to which the country is in disarray. “The Modi government has completely failed on Foreign and economic policy due to which the country is in disarray. The Union government failed to anticipate the gravity of the situation arising out of the Gulf war, leading to complete chaos in the country.” The Chief Minister pointed out, “It is ironic that the war has taken place between Israel and Iran but only India is suffering whereas the situation is not so grim in any other neighboring country.” *Foreign Policy Failure & Economic Chaos* The Chief Minister said that it is a sheer humiliation that the Prime Minister who boasted of becoming a “Vishav Guru” has now relegated the country to becoming a “Vishav Chela.” “This is because the Union government is seeking consent from their friends sitting in the US for even a minute decision to be taken here. Instead of putting the country virtually in a state of lockdown, the Prime Minister should honestly convey to the country the situation of Oil, LPG and Gold reserves,” he added. The Chief Minister further said that the country cannot be run in such an irresponsible manner where the Prime Minister urges people to observe austerity measures while himself indulging in opulence. “The Prime Minister continues his foreign sojourns while appealing to the countrymen to refrain from it. In the last 14 years, the Prime Minister has never briefed the media, country or Parliament about the outcome of his several foreign trips,” he added. *PM’s Foreign Tours & Favouritism Towards Industrialists* The Chief Minister said that it is the bounden duty of the Prime Minister to tell the people about the achievements of these tours, but this has never happened. “The Prime Minister takes his industrialist friends along with him on these trips abroad and facilitates them for investments. The result is that the blue-eyed industrialists of Narendra Modi are getting richer day by day whereas on the other hand the country is getting poorer,” he added. The Chief Minister further warned that people will face more hardship in the coming days as fuel prices are expected to continue escalating. “There will be no end to the agonies of the people as the Union government is suffering from an anti-people mindset. People will continue to reel under massive burden as the Union government has just woken up from deep slumber as they were busy in election mode,” he added. *Punjab BJP leaders Are Completely Unaware of Ground Realities & Merely Repeats What BJP High Command Wants Him to Say: CM Bhagwant Singh Mann* Replying to another query, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann slammed Punjab BJP leadership for making baseless and irrational statements to mislead the people of Punjab. “Punjab BJP leaders are completely unaware of the ground realities as they are just a mouthpiece of his own party and chant whatever his high command wants him to say.” The Chief Minister said that he had already raised the issue of DAP with the Union Agriculture Minister a few days ago and was assured that Punjab’s requirements would be fully met. “I have already raised the issue of DAP with the Union Agriculture Minister and he has assured that the needs of Punjab will be fully catered,” CM Bhagwant Singh Mann added. *ED, CBI & Income Tax Being Misused as BJP’s Political Wings to Arm-Twist Opposition Parties: CM Bhagwant Singh Mann* Coming down heavily on the misuse of central agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation CBI and Income Tax Department, the Chief Minister said that these agencies are functioning as wings of the BJP. “These agencies are being misused by the Union government to arm-twist political opponents and make them join the saffron party for their vested interests. By targeting political opponents through these agencies, the BJP is stooping too low to muzzle the voice of democracy in the country,” he added.