Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has urged all his colleagues in the Punjab Congress to set an example for others by voluntarily giving up their red beacon lights, in line with their commitment to the people of the state as part of the party’s election manifesto.It was the collective responsibility of all party members to uphold the commitments made in the manifesto and fulfill their promises to the people, said the chief minister through a statement issued here on Saturday.As the elected representatives of the people, it is our onerous responsibility and duty not only to fulfill our promises but also to do so in the positive spirit in which we made the same to the voters, said Captain Amarinder.The chief minister lauded all his ministerial colleagues and party MLAs who had already removed the red beacons and had won accolades for the same from the media as well as the public in general for arriving at the state assembly on Friday in beaconless cars.The people voted us as they trusted us to keep our promises and had faith in our ability to deliver on all counts, said the chief minister, adding that shedding VIP culture was a very small step in the direction of meeting their expectations.
Acknowledging that the shift required a major mindset change, Captain Amarinder said he was confident that every one of his party colleagues had the strength to take this courageous step in the interest of the state and people, who see the VIP culture as a culture of alienation and isolation.The chief minister assured the Congress leaders that abandoning the VIP culture would not lead to erosion of their respect and authority but would actually raise their esteem in the eyes of the people who elected them. If red beacons could raise a leader’s status and ensure his/her popularity then no incumbent government, MP or MLA would ever lose an election, he added.The chief minister said that a red beacon is, in fact, a regressive symbol which should have no place in a progressive society like ours, where accessibility is an important criterion in gauging the popularity of any leader.Captain Amarinder reiterated his government’s commitment to implementing all the poll manifesto promises and the subsequent cabinet decisions in letter and in spirit, and called upon all MLAs, ex-MLAs and other elected leaders to support his government’s efforts towards this positive transformation of Punjab.