AAP National Convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Shri Arvind Kejriwal & Punjab CM Sardar Bhawgant Mann laid the foundation stone for the establishment of Guru Ravidas Bani Adhyan Centre at Dera Sachkhand Ballan in Jalandhar, Punjab, on Saturday. The event was attended by Rajya Sabha MPs Shri Raghav Chadha, Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal, and several Punjab Ministers and MLAs. Shri Arvind Kejriwal spoke about the importance of education, healthcare, employment, and law and order in Punjab. Noting the efforts of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab, he encouraged the people of Punjab to support the honest AAP government and work together to make Punjab prosperous. He also expressed his admiration for Punjab and Punjabis, pledging to prevent anyone from spoiling the beauty and serenity of Punjab.
Shri Arvind Kejriwal said he is blessed to be visiting the holy land to pay his obeisance and thanked the Punjab CM for inviting him to begin the research centre. He emphasised the significance of education in Babasaheb Ambedkar’s life, which allowed him to overcome poverty and untouchability and become a respected scholar and statesman who wrote the Constitution of India. Shri Arvind Kejriwal stressed the importance of education for future generations, even if it requires sacrifices in other aspects of life. He noted that while many governments had come and gone before AAP was formed, none had done enough to provide quality education to children, especially those from marginalised backgrounds. He stated that no other government has truly focused on building schools, and that government schools have been built only in name. He adds that the condition of these schools is horrible, but people from poor and Scheduled Castes are compelled to send their children to these schools because they cannot afford private schools.
He highlighted the achievements of the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi, which has transformed all government schools into excellent institutions that have surpassed even private schools. Shri Arvind Kejriwal pointed out that students from government schools in Delhi are now becoming doctors, engineers, and lawyers, and that even Dalit youth from government schools are earning salaries in the lakhs per month. He expressed confidence that Sardar Bhagwant Mann’s government in Punjab would rejuvenate government schools in the state and transform them within the next five years. He said, “It is our responsibility to provide good education and employment to all our youth. Our party is a party of common people, so we understand the struggles that the common man goes through. We do not engage in dirty politics or corruption. Our party’s focus is on serving the people’s interests, providing good education to every child, and ensuring that their needs are met.”
Shri Arvind Kejriwal also spoke about the dire state of government hospitals and how the poor are forced to seek treatment there due to the high cost of private hospitals. The government hospital buildings are in a dilapidated condition, medical equipment does not work properly, medicines are not available, tests are not conducted and there is a lack of doctors. He noted that the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi had made all government hospitals luxurious, air-conditioned, and better than private hospitals. The AAP National Convenor shared that Punjab CM Sardar Bhagwant Mann is focused on improving government hospitals in Punjab, and Punjab Health Minister, Dr Balbir Singh, was engaged in this effort round the clock.
The Delhi CM further spoke about the mohalla clinics set up by his government, which offer free treatment and medicines for minor ailments to people in their locality. He stated that his government had opened 550 such clinics in Delhi in five years, while Sardar Bhagwant Mann’s government had opened 550 mohalla clinics in Punjab within one year. Shri Arvind Kejriwal emphasized that the progress achieved in Delhi is now being replicated in Punjab at a pace faster by 10 times. He assured the people of Punjab, and said, “We will establish mohalla clinics in every village and locality in Punjab to provide free healthcare and free treatment to you and your family.”
He exhorted the people of Punjab to support the honest government of the Aam Aadmi Party and work together to make Punjab prosperous. He said, “We have formed a trustworthy government in Punjab and we use all the tax money transparently for public welfare. By the grace of the almighty, this is a unique opportunity for all of us to join hands to realise the dream of ‘Rangla Punjab.”’
Shri Arvind Kejriwal also emphasised the importance of protecting Punjab and maintaining peace and law and order in the state. He commended Punjab CM Sardar Bhagwant Mann for taking tough decisions to keep the state secure and peaceful without resorting to any violence or bloodshed. He stated that tough decisions might be necessary, but the party would not hesitate to take them for the betterment of the people. He assured the people that anyone who tries to disturb the peace and harmony in Punjab will be held accountable.
Referring to the Punjab government’s crackdown on drug peddlers, Shri Arvind Kejriwal said, “Currently, drug peddlers are fleeing from Punjab though not all drug use has ceased. The government needs the support of the people to eradicate it completely. To combat drug use, the government will apprehend and imprison those who sell drugs. But we need the three crore people of Punjab to join hands with the government so that drug use can be eliminated from Punjab.”
He noted how Punjab’s law and order situation had significantly improved under the AAP government. “Previously, big gangsters and criminals were associated with some political parties or leaders. However, as the Aam Aadmi Party has no ‘setting’ with anyone, within the last year, the gangsters and criminals have been caught and put in jail. The focus now is on providing education and employment to the youth instead of drugs and guns unlike other parties.”
Shri Arvind Kejriwal expressed his admiration for the hospitality of Punjabis and the natural beauty of the state, particularly the stunning Sutlej river and hills in the Nangal region. He said that he believes that Punjab is a beautiful place, and it’s important to protect its environment and maintain its peaceful atmosphere, which he believes some people are trying to disturb. He vowed to prevent anyone from spoiling the beauty and serenity of Punjab.
The AAP National Convenor stated that Punjab CM Sardar Bhagwant Mann has recently provided 26,797 government jobs to the youth of Punjab. He mentioned that before their party came to power, there were protests by teachers and doctors atop water tanks due to unemployment or lack of regularisation. However, he said that such incidents are not heard of anymore and the government is gradually providing employment to everyone. He acknowledged that effective results take time but emphasised that Punjab is slowly getting back on track. He expressed his gratitude for the blessings of the people and the opportunity to seek the blessings of Guru Maharaj Ji.
Punjab CM Sardar Bhagwant Mann said that Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar believed that education is essential for the progress of any country, stating that his government is prioritising education, health, electricity, employment, business, and infrastructure. Highlighting the importance of education for the progress of any country, Sardar Bhagwant Mann said, “A great man is not the one who has a lot of land or bank balance, but one whose children are educated.” He noted the unfortunate and dire situation of government schools and hospitals in the country, where poor individuals have no choice but to seek services under compulsion. He said, “Children from poor families are compelled to study in government schools, as the high fees in private schools make it impossible for them to afford quality education. Similarly, poor people have no choice but to seek treatment at government hospitals, despite the poor conditions.” According to Sardar Bhagwant Mann, education is the key to unlocking every treasure, and children need to be given a world-class education to succeed. In line with this, the government has decided to establish a research centre on the Bani of Sri Guru Ravidas. The Punjab CM said, “The research centre will provide world-class education to children, enabling them to do PhDs and write theses on Guru Ravidas’s speeches so that they can spread the teachings of Guru Ravidas throughout the world. Our government is committed to its promises, and we follow through on them. The check for Rs 25 crore given today is merely a formality, as we had already released Rs 25 lakh for the centre’s establishment.”
The Punjab CM also praised his Delhi counterpart, Shri Arvind Kejriwal, for his efforts to improve government schools, saying that the latter had transformed them into splendid institutions, where the children of rickshaw pullers, labourers, and judges study together. He added that the results of government schools in Delhi are now better than those of private schools. “There is no leader today except Shri Arvind Kejriwal who can boldly ask the people to vote for them only if they have done the work.” He also claimed that the AAP government does not engage in politics of hatred but instead focuses on improving education and health for all children, especially those from poor families. He concluded by saying that giving children from poor families an opportunity to receive a quality education can work wonders for the country.
