AAP government will regularize Corona warriors and pay allowances: Bhagwant Mann

Corona Warriors Gurpreet Kaur Binder and Satinder Kaur broke their fast-unto-death on the request of Bhagwant Mann

Patiala, January 3, Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Punjab President and Member of Parliament Bhagwant Mann met Corona Warriors who were staging a dharna and sitting on fast unto death at Rajindra Hospital. After learning about their demands and difficulties, Mann offered water to the fasting women and requested them to break their fast. Mann appealed to the protesters not to sacrifice their lives as the people in power in Punjab have hearts of stone and they do not care about anyone's children. He promised that with the formation of Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab, all temporary employees including corona warriors would be regularized and their allowances would be paid.

On Monday, AAP Punjab President Bhagwant Mann offered water and requested Corona Warriors Gurpreet Kaur Binder, Satinder Kaur and others, who were staging a dharna at the roof of Rajindra Hospital to break their fast unto death. Mann said, "Today there are no doctors and nurses in the hospitals of Punjab, no teachers in the schools and no employees in the offices. But the Channi government’s sole focus is propaganda and advertising. Corona warriors, doctors, teachers and nurses, all have been staging strikes on towers, tanks, roads and rooftops across Punjab for their demands. But Congress ministers are fighting among themselves for the power seat, and people here are fighting for their rights and livelihood.

Bhagwant Mann said that the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi has regularized the services of Corona warriors who served during the pandemic and provided one crore rupees as financial assistance to the family on the death of a Corona warrior. But here in Punjab Covid frontline workers are on roads and rooftops today. The demands of the Corona Warriors are not being heeded, and on the top of that court cases are being filed against them.

Bhagwant Mann appealed to the Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, “To earn some blessings, at least issue a notification to regularize corona warriors and AAP will implement that. Because one thing is for sure that the Congress party won’t form a government in Punjab again. With the formation of AAP government, Corona warriors will be regularized, and due allowances will be paid.” Mann said that now CM Channi is saying that the governor is not signing the file of temporary employees. He asked why the state government has advertised an announcement so extravagantly, when in reality, it wasn’t even implemented. Why waste crores of rupees out of Punjab’s treasury on billboards, flexes and other advertisements? Why didn't Channi government spend the same money on our Corona warriors?

Commenting on the announcements made by Punjab Congress state president Navjot Singh Sidhu for women, Bhagwant Mann said, "When Arvind Kejriwal announced to give Rs. 1000 per month then Congressmen were criticizing Kejriwal and I (Mann). Where would the money come from now? Today, Sidhu himself has started announcing free schemes.” He said that AAP government as well as people of Punjab will hold those accountable who’d spend five years saying, ‘The exchequer is empty.’ The government treasury will be replenished and the money from this treasury will be used to provide facilities to all sections including teachers, doctors, nurses, corona warriors and other employees.

Along with AAP Punjab President, AAP district president Tejinder Mehta, women wing president Veerpal Kaur Chahal, Dr. Balbir Singh, Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra, Kundan Gogia, Prof. Sumer Seera, Jagtar Singh Taari, Dr. Simarpreet Singh, Harpreet Singh Dhindsa, Anil Mehra, Gurpreet Singh, Lucky Lehal, Ashok Bangar and Puneet Budhiraja were also present.