Don't get used to luxuries of staying in Chandigarh; if you don't perform you will be changed: Kejriwal warns Punjab ministers

Sanjeev Singh Bariana 

Chandigarh, March 20 

Ministers who do not perform will be changed, said the chief of the Aam Admi Party (AAP), Arvind Kejriwal, while addressing a virtual meeting with newly elected MLAs in Punjab on Sunday.

“I wish you carry out the assigned task with your hard work and sincerity. I am not congratulating you, but wishing you well to carry out the assigned task with sincerity. If you don’t fulfil the public expectations, they will have you changed. We should begin our task right away as Mann (Bhagwant) has rightly pointed out that we are more than 70 years late to get public welfare goals implemented after Independence,” said Kejriwal.

He said: “People are watching us very closely. So not changing those not performing will be difficult for the government. You will have to work round the clock. Targets have to be fulfilled.”

He said: “Mann has very rightly pointed out that you should not be sitting in your homes. Don’t get used to the luxuries of staying in Chandigarh. You need to be moving on the streets and villages to connect with people on ground.”

Kejriwal said: “I heard some MLAs are not happy with the new Cabinet. They feel they were ignored, the Cabinet cannot be bigger than 18. I must tell everyone that we are a 92-member team under the leadership of Bhagwant Mann. Those not assigned Cabinet will be given equally responsible jobs. We need to leave our selfish ambitions aside if we want to see our Punjab progress. Cabinet, department chairmanship or any other important post should not the prerogative of any leader.”

Kejriwal said: “Majority of our MLAs are first timers. Even big names in politics have been defeated this time. So you also need to work. Meet the CM if you have any work for your constituency. He will always be available, but don’t meet him for transfers of Deputy Commissioners, SSPs or SHOs like earlier times.”  

Kejriwal said: “Mann sahab tussi kamaal karr ditta. The entire nation is talking about you. We are getting messages about government’s works like registration being done without any bribe. A dhaba owner sent a message that a cop who had tea at his stall paid for it himself. It was for the first time. Such messages are very encouraging. More changes will come.”

He congratulated Mann for announcing 25,000 jobs for the unemployed. Kejriwal also mentioned that the process for compensation of crop loss, last October, had started and farmers will receive their cheques within three-four days.

Talking about the anti-corruption phone line to be launched on March 23, Kejriwal said: “We have shown results of a clean administration in Delhi with a similar initiative and are sure about similar results in Punjab as well.” 

Kejriwal said: “We got messages that certain leaders are going to offices and threatening employees using harsh words. It is good that our leaders and workers are visiting hospitals, schools and tehsildar offices. At the same time, we need to be careful with our language. We must not use words like ‘puttha tang devange. This is not correct. We must follow the procedure and not merely harass the staff.” 

Appreciating the steps for a honest administration initiated by Mann, the AAP convenor said “I can tolerate anything, but injustice.”