Punjab Finance Minister Criticizes Congress Amid New Project Launch

Sangrur, September 7 (Daily Kiran) : Punjab’s Finance Minister, Harpal Singh Cheema, laid the foundation stone for a new block building in Chhazli, Sangrur, on September 7, 2026. During the ceremony, he took the opportunity to criticize the Congress party and the central government.

Cheema congratulated local leaders, saying, “All sarpanches, panchayat committee members, and chairpersons deserve hearty congratulations. Today, we have laid the foundation stone for a new building, and construction is set to begin. This project will cost 2 crore rupees. I believe our village, Chhazli, is clearly transforming into a city.”

He also commented on Congress’s decision to appoint Sachin Pilot as the new party in-charge for Punjab, replacing former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. Cheema remarked, “The people of Punjab know how divided Congress is. They had to change their chief minister before, and now they are changing their in-charge. This indicates that the Congress party is virtually finished on the ground. They have no policies or leadership left, which is why they are constantly forced to change faces.”

The minister further criticized the central government over the appointment of Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra as the new Chief Justice of the Punjab-Haryana High Court. He alleged that the appointment was made in disregard of established protocols.

Cheema stated, “Initially, the governor and the central law minister sent a letter to our Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann seeking his opinion under paragraph 6 of the Memorandum of Standard Procedure. However, the appointment was made without considering his input. I believe this is an insult to an elected Chief Minister and the three crore people of Punjab.”

He accused the central government of bias in judicial matters concerning Punjab, citing the delayed transfer of Justice G.S. Sandhawalia to the Madhya Pradesh High Court, where the BJP governs. Cheema claimed that Sandhawalia’s file was held up for two months before being transferred to Himachal Pradesh.