Patiala
 
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday accused the BJP of seeking votes while threatening the state’s rights over Panjab University, Chandigarh, and its water, while charging the Centre with withholding Rural Development Fund (RDF) and Value Added Tax (VAT) dues for four-and-a-half years. He also blamed the Shiromani Akali Dal and BJP for Punjab’s drug crisis, alleging that the parties were preparing to reunite for electoral gains.
 
Mann, speaking to the media, said Punjab’s contribution to national food security and defence made the alleged denial of its legitimate rights particularly unfair. He described Panjab University as part of the state’s history, identity, and academic legacy, and water as vital to agriculture and the livelihoods of millions of farmers.
 
“Punjab will never allow any political party to undermine its interests,” he said, asserting that the state would resist any move affecting its institutions, water resources or financial entitlements. He demanded that the Union Government release the pending RDF and VAT dues, saying the prolonged withholding of funds was hampering development and rural infrastructure work. Punjab’s farmers and rural communities, he said, should not bear this burden alone.
 
Mann said Punjab was asking only for money legitimately due to it and accused the BJP-led Central Government of making the state’s development vulnerable to political calculations.
 
Turning to the drug problem, the Chief Minister accused the Akalis and BJP of allowing the menace to spread during their tenures in power. He said addiction had caused immense suffering for families and damaged Punjab’s social fabric, with young people bearing a heavy cost.
 
Mann alleged that the two parties were now preparing to join hands again despite their past record. He said political realignments could not erase responsibility for previous failures and argued that Punjab needed honest leadership, effective action against drugs and a commitment to protecting its youth.
 
The Chief Minister also said opposition parties were frustrated because public support for the Aam Aadmi Party remained strong. Accusing them of failing to present a credible alternative, he said people would judge parties by their record rather than slogans.
 
Mann said his government’s priorities included defending Punjab’s interests, strengthening public services and creating better opportunities for farmers, workers, young people and ordinary families. He reiterated that the state’s water, institutions, dignity and financial dues would not be treated as bargaining chips, and said the government would not compromise on Punjab’s rights.
 
100 Mini Buses to Link Punjab’s Villages with Cities; 309 More Buses Next Month

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday flagged off 100 new 29-seater mini buses to improve links between villages and cities, saying reliable public transport would help rural residents and students reach workplaces, schools, colleges and essential services. The buses will run on rural and small-town routes through nine depots, creating jobs for around 150 drivers and conductors; another 309 full-size buses are due to join the fleet next month.
 
Mann said previous governments had discontinued village-to-city services, leaving rural people struggling to travel for work, education and other needs. He said the aim was to ensure that, just as canal water had reached every field, buses would reach every village.
 
The buses have been allocated to Patiala (25), Bathinda (15), Chandigarh (15), Sangrur (10), Barnala (9), Budhlada (8), Kapurthala (7), Faridkot (6) and Ludhiana (5). Around 3,000 privately operated mini buses also connect villages, towns and cities across Punjab.
 
The Chief Minister called public transport a lifeline for rural communities, saying must benefit people beyond major cities. Fifteen young people were handed offer letters for jobs in the transport department at the event.
 
Mann, in a post on X, said the new buses would make travel more convenient for rural residents and confirmed that 309 full-size buses would be added next month. Transport Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh and other officials were present.