A day after Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan refused to allow the Opposition Congress to move a resolution before the Punjab Assembly seeking the highest civilian award for Bhagat Singh, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said on Tuesday that India would have looked very different if the freedom fighter had been the country’s first Prime Minister.“If Bhagat Singh were alive, and had been allowed to lead the nation after Independence, the entire direction of the country would have been different. Sixteen years after his martyrdom, the country became independent. By 1952, when the first elections were held, Bhagat Singh would have been around 45 years old. He should have been the first prime minister of the country. The entire map and destiny of the nation would have been different had he led India,” Mann said, addressing a gathering in Dhuri.Hitting out at the AAP government and the Speaker for refusing to allow the Congress’s resolution, as the House on Monday unanimously passed another resolution seeking Bharat Ratna for Bahujan Samaj Party founder Kanshi Ram, Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa said on Monday that the blocking of the resolution has exposed the gap between AAP’s rhetoric and its actions. “It is deeply ironic that the AAP government frequently invokes the ideals of Bhagat Singh and claims to take inspiration from his ideology, yet when an opportunity arose to formally recommend the highest civilian honour for him, it failed to act.”Accompanied by Cabinet ministers Aman Arora, Harpal Singh Cheema, Dr Balbir Singh and Barinder Goyal in Dhuri, the chief minister said, “Bhagat Singh was born on September 28, 1907, and was martyred on March 23, 1931, at just 23 and a half years of age. He fought for the country’s freedom. His way was different because he was young and aggressive, while Nehru and Gandhi had their own approaches. But later, we reduced Bhagat Singh’s legacy to merely offering flowers once a year on March 23. He had written extensively. His jail letters and writings are like a manifesto. He had said that he was not worried about independence, because he knew that it would come, but he was concerned about who would rule the country after independence.”“Bhagat Singh had warned that after independence, power should not go into the wrong hands. Unfortunately, the same happened. Even after 80 years, we are still trapped in the same old system, the same patwari-tehsil structure, and people are still struggling for basic needs like jobs and services,” the chief minister said.‘Will again form govt in 2027’Addressing a gathering after dedicating a newly constructed Sub-Divisional Hospital to the people, the chief minister said, “Just as Mahatma Gandhi is called ‘Bapu, Jawahar Lal Nehru is called ‘Chacha’ and Chaudhary Devi Lal is called ‘Tau’, I consider myself a son and brother of the people.”Mann said it is writing on the wall that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will return to power in Punjab in 2027. “After fulfilling all guarantees within four years, the AAP has left the Opposition without any issue to face the people. It is a writing on the wall that owing to several people-friendly decisions, the AAP will again form a government in the state.”Story continues below this adAfter assuming charge in 2022 in the native village of Bhagat Singh, the AAP government took several people-friendly decisions. Mann said. “We started a new tradition in politics by completing all promises in four years, whereas parties are not able to do so in five years. From day one, our government is cleaning the mess made by the previous regimes, and we are not hesitant to take bold decisions for the welfare of the common man.”Also Read | Bhagwant Mann seeks audio and video recordings of trial of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev from Scotland‘Cong, and Badals seeking another chance to plunder state’Mann said that the Congress and the Badals are seeking another chance to “plunder the state”, which has already suffered a lot during their regimes. “The wise people of the state will never give them another chance. Both parties will be sent to political oblivion after the 2027 polls.”Targeting Opposition leaders, the chief minister said, “Charanjit Singh Channi, Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Captain Amarinder Singh, Sukhbir Singh Badal and others have joined the chorus to target me. Earlier, these leaders used to mock me by labelling me as an entertainer, but now they chant my name day and night out of fear.”“In 2017, when AAP got several seats and became the opposition, they said nothing would happen. Again in 2022, they said nothing would happen, but our government took several path-breaking initiatives. Now, again, they are saying that nothing will happen in 2027, but AAP will form a government again with a thumping majority,” Mann said.Story continues below this ad“The entire opposition never raised a single real issue concerning the people inside or outside the Assembly. This reflects they are only concerned about their own position and only interested in power,” Mann said.“Desperate to attain power, the Akali Dal is posting on social media mu AI-generated videos to mislead people. This shows the dearth of any issues against me. They are baffled and making futile attempts to attain power. These parties are resorting to cheap gimmicks to mislead the people. Earlier, they were welcomed with garlands, but now people greet them with defeat wherever they go,” Mann said.The chief minister added that his sole agenda is the progress of Punjab and the prosperity of its people. “I am indebted to the people of Dhuri and will leave no stone unturned for the holistic development of this region.”