Perform or get punished—AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal sent out on Sunday a zero-tolerance warning against underperformance and corruption to ministers in the party’s first government in Punjab headed by Bhagwant Mann, saying they will be replaced if found involved in corrupt practices.
“I will tolerate everything, but not corruption and theft of public money,” Kejriwal said. “If any MLA or minister did not fulfill his target (set by chief minister Mann), he will get more chances to do the work. But if he is involved in corruption, there will be no second chance,” he warned.
Delhi CM Kejriwal interacted with the party’s 92 legislators in Punjab through video link after the swearing-in of the cabinet. He said MLAs and ministers have to work as a team under Mann’s leadership. Instead of staying in Chandigarh, legislators should visit villages and mohallas of their constituencies with AAP workers and community members to resolve people’s issues, he advised.
CM Mann too warned party MLAs that like in Delhi, legislators in Punjab will be appraised on the basis of their performance. In the 2020 Delhi assembly elections, AAP didn’t allow 22 MLAs to run for office again because their reports were ‘negative’, he said.
“So all MLAs should open a permanent office in their constituency and be present there. Listen to people’s problems and try to solve them on time. Whatever time you give to people to meet, in any case, be there at that time,” Mann said.
Kejriwal told the MLAs to refrain from getting involved in transfers and postings of police and other officers. “If anyone did this, strict action would be taken against him,” he said. If any officer did not work or did not listen to MLAs, then the legislator must report it to the chief minister, who would then take action.”
He also advised legislators to not misbehave with police or government employees and teachers, but “rather treat everyone with love”. He said government teachers are responsible for bringing the education revolution to Delhi. Everyone should work with these government employees to create a fear-free and corruption-free environment, he said.
Among the not-to-dos that CM Mann listed out was his advice to avoid recommending someone undeserving of a particular job. “There may be thousands of qualified people you do not have access to, but who do have the qualifications for the job. Our government was formed to protect the rights of the people, not to take them away.” Mann said the government would issue a notification for 25,000 government jobs within 25 days.
(With inputs from agencies)