Chandigarh, June 7:- Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, while addressing a massive public gathering in Dhuri, Punjab, on Sunday, called for political change in the state and remarked that the Punjab Chief Minister knows little beyond cracking jokes. “Jokes may run cinema halls, but they cannot run a government,” he said. He added that the people of Punjab have become disillusioned with what he described as false promises and hollow assurances and are now ready to choose a path of development, good governance, and transparent administration. Addressing the large crowd, he said the enthusiasm of the people of Dhuri clearly indicated a strong wave of change sweeping across Punjab.
The Chief Minister said that leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party portray themselves as revolutionaries, but in reality, they are misleading people and attempting to hide their shortcomings by diverting attention from their failures. He noted that although Dhuri is the constituency of the Punjab Chief Minister, he has distanced himself not only from Punjab but also from Dhuri. Saini stated that Punjab was once among the leading states in terms of development, but political parties pursuing their own interests had pushed it into the category of lagging states. He further alleged that the fight against drugs in Punjab exists mainly in advertisements and not in effective action on the ground.
Saini said that Punjab’s farmers are the nation’s food providers. He claimed that farmers placed their trust in AAP during the 2022 elections, but neither have all crops received the benefit of Minimum Support Price (MSP) nor have adequate compensation payments been made for crop losses. He termed this a major betrayal of farmers and said they would respond through the ballot box in future elections. In contrast, he highlighted that Haryana is the first state in India where the government procures all crops at MSP.
He further stated that Haryana has taken significant steps to compensate farmers affected by natural disasters. Referring to crop losses caused by heavy rains and floods last year, he said the Haryana government provided financial assistance amounting to ?16,500 crore. He added that farmers bringing crops to mandis receive their J-Forms online immediately and payments are credited to their bank accounts within 72 hours.
The Chief Minister said that Punjab had freed itself from Congress with great difficulty, but the AAP government came to power after making grand promises that failed to materialize. According to him, the people of Punjab are still paying the price for believing those promises. He contrasted this with the Bharatiya Janata Party, which he said believes not only in making commitments but also in implementing them on the ground.
Referring to development initiatives undertaken under the leadership of Narendra Modi, Saini said the central government has introduced several historic schemes for the welfare of the poor, farmers, youth, women, and disadvantaged sections of society. He said Prime Minister Modi envisions a developed India, and if the people of Punjab support the BJP, Punjab too can become a developed state.
Saini also highlighted Haryana’s governance model, claiming that transparent administration and merit-based recruitment have enabled thousands of young people to secure jobs without favoritism or corruption. He said that over the past eleven and a half years, large numbers of youths have received government employment based solely on merit, strengthening public trust in the system. He also outlined various women empowerment schemes and welfare initiatives benefiting economically weaker families.
The Chief Minister said Punjab needs a government capable not only of making announcements but also of effectively implementing them. He argued that meeting the aspirations of farmers, youth, traders, and ordinary citizens requires strong leadership and accountable governance. According to him, only the BJP can bring good governance to Punjab and accelerate growth in investment, employment, infrastructure, and overall development. He noted that out of 217 commitments made in Haryana’s election manifesto, 63 had been fulfilled within the first year, while work on 153 others was progressing rapidly.
Saini said that progressive cities like Dhuri were once important centers of economic activity, but current government policies have pushed them behind in the race for development. He claimed that many industries in Punjab are on the verge of closure. In contrast, he said the BJP-led “double-engine government” in Haryana has brought positive changes to people’s lives through transparent governance and equitable implementation of welfare schemes.
Comparing welfare measures in the two states, he stated that in Punjab, elderly citizens from families earning up to ?80,000 annually receive an old-age pension of ?1,500 per month, whereas in Haryana, elderly citizens from families earning up to ?3 lakh annually receive ?3,200 per month. He also said that Haryana has provided 1.6 lakh houses to needy families during the last eleven and a half years, while another 10,500 newly constructed houses are ready to be handed over to beneficiaries.
The Chief Minister further said that under Haryana’s Deendayal Lado Lakshmi Yojana, women receive financial assistance of ?2,100 every month. Poor households are also provided LPG cylinders at ?500 per month. He added that approximately 1.5 crore people in Haryana benefit from free medical treatment of up to ?5 lakh annually under the Ayushman Bharat and Chirayu schemes, while alleging that Punjab’s Mohalla Clinics often lack medicines and doctors.
Appealing to voters to give the BJP an opportunity in the upcoming Assembly elections, Saini said the election would not merely determine the next government but would shape Punjab’s future, youth employment, farmers’ prosperity, and overall development. He said every vote would play an important role in establishing a strong, development-oriented double-engine government in Punjab. He also urged the public to support a new political direction centered on good governance, development, and public welfare.
Among those present at the event were Keval Singh Dhillon, Subhash Sharma, Randeep Singh Deol, Sarjeevan Jindal, Dr. Omkar Singh, Satwant Singh Poonia, Sukhwinder Grewal, and Nripender Singh, along with a large number of BJP workers and supporters.