Even as Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann inaugurated a state-of-the-art School of Eminence in Chaajli village of Sangrur on Tuesday, farmers under the banner of the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) staged a vociferous protest against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Government just outside the venue, raising slogans and questioning the government's handling of their agitation.
Unfazed by the farmers’ demonstrations, Mann reiterated his government’s commitment to serve Punjab and Punjabis with “sweat and toil”, asserting that the state was witnessing a new era of unprecedented development. “We are working with dedication and integrity to ensure the holistic growth of every sector — be it education, health, employment, or infrastructure,” he said while addressing a public gathering after inaugurating the School of Eminence.
The School of Eminence project, modeled after Delhi’s education reforms, is set to upgrade 118 government schools across Punjab for students from Classes IX to XII. Mann said that the initiative would transform the destiny of students, especially from poor and underprivileged backgrounds, by providing them access to modern, quality education. “This is a historic moment. These schools are not just buildings — they are factories of dreams, where future doctors, engineers, leaders, and artists will be shaped,” he said.
As the Chief Minister interacted with students and viewed an exhibition on campus, farmers led by BKU (Azad) and BKU (Sidhupur) protested outside, accusing the government of suppressing dissent and forcibly evicting demonstrators from the Shambhu and Khanauri borders. “We came to question the Chief Minister, but the police didn’t allow us near him. Isn’t this the same Mann who once asked people to hold leaders accountable?” said BKU Azad president Jaswinder Singh Longowal.
Farmer leaders slammed the AAP government for holding “closed-door” talks in Ludhiana while refusing to engage directly with protesting unions. “The entire village looked like a police cantonment today. What kind of fear does this government have of the ‘aam aadmi’?” said another farmer leader of BKU Sidhupur.
Responding to criticism, Mann said that the previous regimes had failed Punjab by prioritizing personal gain over public good, sheltering mafias and ignoring education. “Unlike those governments, we are building a future where every child — girl or boy — has the wings to fly,” he said, urging students to dream big and reminding the public of AAP’s vision of empowerment and equality.
