Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini on Sunday took a dig at the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government in Punjab, saying that the people of the state want development, employment, security for industries and solutions to their problems, not jokes, publicity and advertisements.
Saini was addressing a public meeting organised at Kakrala village in Patiala, where he claimed the Punjab government has focused more on publicity than work and on advertisements than results.
“Repeating false claims does not strengthen an economy. An economy becomes strong when industries receive security, youth get employment, traders have confidence, farmers receive remunerative prices and the benefits of government schemes reach people directly without discrimination,” he said.
He said it is the government’s responsibility to go among the people, listen to their problems and resolve them. “Jokes work in cinema halls, but among the people, the discussion is about work, development and solutions to public problems,” Saini said.
He said that the Congress had also made big promises to the people of Punjab but failed to fulfil them. “The AAP also made numerous promises, but they remained merely promises and people did not get relief from their problems,” he claimed.
Aiming another broadside at the Punjab government over drug menace and the recent death of a Dalit man who allegedly questioned the government over the issue, the Haryana CM alleged that when a person raised his voice before the government to keep children away from drugs, he was harassed, and an attempt was made to silence his voice.
{{/usCountry}}Aiming another broadside at the Punjab government over drug menace and the recent death of a Dalit man who allegedly questioned the government over the issue, the Haryana CM alleged that when a person raised his voice before the government to keep children away from drugs, he was harassed, and an attempt was made to silence his voice.
{{/usCountry}}“Hurt by this, he ended his life,” he claimed, adding that the incident raises serious questions about law and order, sensitive governance and respect for the voice of ordinary citizens in Punjab.
He was referring to the death of a 47-year-old Dalit man in Sangrur district, who allegedly consumed poison, with his family claiming that he was harassed and subjected to casteist slurs for questioning finance minister Harpal Cheema about the supply of drugs in the area during an event the day before.
Exuding confidence that the BJP will form the government in the state after the 2027 assembly polls, Saini said public welfare schemes being implemented in Haryana under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be extended to the people of the neighbouring state, benefiting the poor, women, farmers and needy families.
Saini said that although Punjab and Haryana are two separate states, their roots, culture and heritage are one. At one time, Punjab was counted among the most prosperous states in the country, but Haryana, which came into existence in 1966, has today moved far ahead of Punjab in terms of economic progress, he claimed.
“In 2025-26, Haryana’s economic growth rate is estimated at 9.5%, while Punjab’s growth rate is only 6.1%… Similarly, in 2026-27, Haryana’s economy is estimated to be at approximately ₹15.18 lakh crore, while Punjab’s is estimated at approximately ₹9.81 lakh crore. This shows the difference in the right policy, clear intent, and accountable leadership,” the BJP leader said.