Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann pays tribute to Bhagat Singh on Shaheed Diwas, launches anti-corruption helpline

Punjab's anti-corruption helpline will have "CM Bhagwant Mann's personal mobile number", his office has said earlier.

NEW DELHI: Newly appointed Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday paid tribute to legendary freedom fighter to Bhagat Singh on the occasion of Shaheed Diwas 2022 in the latter's ancestral village Khatkar Kalan.

With this, the Chief Minister also formally launched an anti-corruption helpline across the state. "We are launching the anti-corruption helpline number today where you can lodge complains and we will take action on that," CM Mann said after paying tributes to Bhagat Singh.

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann pays tribute to Bhagat Singh in Khatkar Kalan, on the occasion of #ShaheedDiwas

"We are launching the anti-corruption helpline number today where you can lodge complains and we will take action on that," he says pic.twitter.com/Odp2Vi4NhJ — ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2022

The helpline number will be "Bhagwant Mann's personal mobile number", his office has said earlier. "On March 23, Shaheed Diwas I'll launch helpline that'll be my personal WhatsApp number. In Punjab, if someone demands a bribe from you, don't refuse, make a video/audio recording and send it to that number. My office will investigate & no culprit will be spared,"  Mann was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Punjab Chief Minister has already declared a holiday on March 23, the martyrdom day of legendary freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev. CM Mann made the announcement on the concluding day of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha session here on Tuesday.

According to CM Mann, the Punjab assembly will also install statues of Bhagat Singh, Ambedkar, Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The House has passed a resolution to install statues of Bhagat Singh, Dr B R Ambedkar and first Sikh ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh in the Vidhan Sabha complex.

Announcing the holiday on the martyrdom day of the freedom fighters, Mann said earlier it was declared only in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district to facilitate people from nearby areas to pay tributes at the martyr's memorial in Khatkar Kalan.

Now, the state government has decided to declare a holiday on this day across the state so as to enable the maximum number of people from across the state to pay their tributes to the great martyrs at Khatkar Kalan and Hussainiwala, said Mann.

"As an indebted nation, we can never forget the contribution of Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, who laid down his life for the freedom of the country. Likewise, Dr B R Ambedkar shaped the destiny of the country in pre and post-independence era as the chief architect of the Indian constitution," said Mann.

Describing them as great leaders, Mann said they will always remain a source of inspiration for millions of people. 

Hailing Mann's proposal, Congress legislator Partap Singh Bajwa urged that the statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh be also installed. Thereafter, the House passed a resolution on installing statues of Bhagat Singh, Dr B R Ambedkar and Maharaja Ranjit Singh in the Vidhan Sabha.

(With Agency Inputs)