No one will be allowed to disturb Punjab's hard-earned peace: CM Bhagwant Mann
Chandigarh (PTI): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday said his government was committed to maintaining law and order in the state and no one would be allowed to disturb the hard-earned peace.
Referring to the insurgency period in Punjab, Mann said the state and its people have suffered a lot in the past and they only want peace and progress.
Though some fissiparous forces are continuously trying to derail the peace and progress of the state, their nefarious designs will not be allowed to succeed, the chief minister said, adding no one will be allowed to disturb the hard-earned peace in the state.
He reiterated that those who carried the Guru Granth Sahib to a police station in Ajnala in Amritsar as a shield cannot be called the 'waris' (heir) of Punjab.
His remarks came days after self-styled Sikh preacher and Khalistani sympathiser Amritpal Singh and his supporters, some of them brandishing swords and guns, broke through barricades and barged into a police station in Ajnala on the outskirts of the Amritsar city on Thursday, extracting an assurance from the police that his aide and kidnapping case accused Lovepreet Singh would be released.
Amritpal heads an organisation called 'Waris Punjab De."
This is an unpardonable crime which must be condemned by one and all, Mann was quoted as saying in an official statement.
Bhagwant Mann said, "The Guru Granth Sahib is a source of inspiration for all of us and we must take inspiration from it rather than taking cover under it for protection from unlawful activities."
The AAP government in Punjab has come under opposition attack which has alleged that the law-and-order situation in the state has broken down.
The chief minister, speaking in Gujarat's Bhavnagar, said that some people funded from across the border are trying to destabilise peace and progress in Punjab.
Such people are acting as puppets in the hands of Pakistan. But the Punjab Police personnel are capable of safeguarding the interests of the state and its people, Mann said.
He said that, earlier, parties used to seek votes on the "divisive agenda".
However, a paradigm shift was witnessed in the political system with the entry of AAP, which forced the traditional parties to reset their agenda, Mann said.
He said the AAP was a party of warriors who can do anything for the well-being of the people.
In mere 11 months, the AAP government has fulfilled the major guarantees promised to the people. Top priority is being accorded to health, education and employment, Mann said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
No unannounced load shedding in Kerala, outages due to overload, says Minister
Palakkad (PTI): Kerala Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty on Saturday said there was no unannounced load shedding in the state, attributing recent power interruptions to temporary overload caused by high consumption.
Clarifying concerns raised from various parts of the state, the minister said the disruptions are not deliberate but occur when demand peaks, particularly between 10 pm and 11 pm.
"It is not being done intentionally. Power consumption has risen sharply, and when there is excessive and indiscriminate usage, the system experiences overload, leading to natural supply interruptions," he told reporters here.
His remarks come amid complaints that several areas have been witnessing frequent power cuts, often lasting around 15 minutes and occurring multiple times during the night.
Krishnankutty said the state's power demand has crossed 6,195 MW, putting pressure on the supply system. He added that around 70 per cent of Kerala's electricity is procured from outside, and existing power banking arrangements have been exhausted.
"We have approached the Regulatory Commission seeking permission to purchase more power. However, this will come at a higher cost," he said.
The minister said the government is trying to avoid increasing electricity tariffs and urged consumers to exercise restraint in usage to help manage the situation.
Responding to opposition criticism over the ruling LDF's earlier claims of a decade without power cuts, he said the current situation is not unique to Kerala.
A power crisis is emerging across the country, he said, and sarcastically asked the Opposition to take note of the role of natural factors in this.
Krishnankutty expressed confidence that the situation would improve within two days, while cautioning that long-term energy security would depend on enhancing in-state power generation.
He also warned that future generations could face serious challenges if adequate electricity production capacity is not developed within Kerala.
