Amid wave of 'basanti', Mann takes oath in Bhagat Singh's ancestral village
Darpan News Desk IANS, 16 Mar, 2022 11:19 AM
Khatkar Kalan (Punjab), March 16 (IANS) Amid a wave of 'basanti' and chants of 'Rang de Basanti', a revolutionary song, AAP leader and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who donned his traditional 'basanti' turban, took oath of office on Wednesday in this village of legendary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh, who laid down his life for the country's Independence, amidst a mass gathering of some 400,000 audience.
Mann, a former comedian, 48, replacing Congress' Charanjit Channi as the Chief Minister, became Punjab's youngest CM in nearly four decades.
Governor Banwarilal Purohit administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mann. After the oath-taking, which was delayed by an hour, Mann in his address said he along with all the residents of the state also took oath as Chief Ministers. "You all will be the Chief Ministers," he said.
Mann will assume office in the evening, while the newly elected legislators will be administered oath during the one-day Vidhan Sabha session to be held in the state capital on Thursday.
However, Mann's cabinet will take oath on Saturday at the Raj Bhavan in Chandigarh.
Harpal Cheema, Aman Arora, Baljinder Kaur, Meet Hayer, Sarvjeet Kaur Manuke and Budh Ram, all second-time legislators, are likely on the list of Mann's cabinet.
At the oath-taking venue, three podiums were set up on the stage. While the Governor and Mann were on the central podium, the second was occupied by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his cabinet, and the third by AAP's 91 legislators.
"The golden ray of sun has brought a new dawn on Wednesday," said Mann ahead of taking oath.
In a tweet, Mann said, "The golden ray of sun has brought a new dawn today. To realize the dreams of Shaheed Bhagat Singh and Baba Saheb, the whole of Punjab will take oath today at Khatkar Kalan."
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is all set to herald a new 'Inquilab' or revolutionary spirit, this is what the party that came to power in Punjab by sweeping the assembly polls with a three-fourth majority is indicating by holding the oath-taking ceremony in Khatkar Kalan.
The BJP has also made efforts to invoke the legendry freedom fighter Bhagat Singh.
In 2015, donning 'basanti' turban, Narendra Modi became the second prime minister to visit Hussainiwala in Punjab's Ferozepur district.
Hussainiwala is the place where the last rites of the three freedom fighters were held after they were hanged in Lahore on March 23, 1931.
The Prime Minister conveyed his warm greetings to President Biden and Vice President Harris and his appreciation for the initiatives taken by President Biden including those related to the Quad, Covid-19 and climate change.
Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has ordered Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) to cancel or revisit all the "one-sided" pacts with private companies that are not contractually obligated to supply sufficient power to meet the state's peak demand during the paddy sowing and summer season.
The new leadership team, led by state chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, had called on the Chief Minister and submitted a letter listing out some issues as needing urgent settlement.
The bodies of Khare Besra, 75 and his wife Curki Devi, 70, were recovered from Baragarda jungle of Giridih. The old couple, residents of Kumharlalo panchayat, had gone into the jungle on Saturday but had not returned and other villagers had filed a missing report with police.
Chairing a high-level meeting to review the demands of the striking employees, he expressed concern over their continued agitation, which has severely impacted the functioning of various state government departments.
