‘Vishav Guru’ turned into ‘Vishav Chela’ as US dictates terms to India: CM Bhagwant Singh Mann
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Saturday flagged off the eighth batch of 30 government school principals for training at the Principal Academy in Singapore, saying the initiative is aimed at exposing educators to global teaching practices and further strengthening the state’s public education system.
The Chief Minister also spoke on a range of political issues, asserting that Punjab will strongly oppose the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2025, while taking swipes at the BJP-led center, the Congress, and SAD leader Sukhbir Singh Badal.
On this, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann took to X and wrote, “Today, another batch of principals from government schools in Punjab departed for Singapore for training. I met them on this occasion, wished them well, and encouraged them to make the trip a success.*
He further wrote, “Our government’s goal is to ensure that the children of Punjab receive world-class, quality education. In line with this vision, we are continuously providing international-level training opportunities to our teachers and principals so that they can learn new and modern methods and further strengthen Punjab’s education system. Our goal is not just to build schools but to create an education system that empowers every child in Punjab to dream big and achieve them.”
Interacting with the media, CM Bhagwant Mann stated, “To provide world-class exposure to heads of government schools, the eighth batch of 30 principals is leaving for training at the Principal Academy in Singapore from March 8 to 14. So far eight batches comprising 234 principals and education officers have been sent to Singapore for training.” He said that a transparent selection process has been adopted for the programme, after which verification of the selected principals was carried out by the District Education Officers.
The Punjab CM continued, “During the training, these principals are acquainted with modern teaching practices prevalent abroad. After their return, they share these practices with students and colleagues so that our students get exposure to global standards of education. This path-breaking initiative is rejuvenating the education system of the state and these teachers are acting as agents of change by ensuring quality education for students. Such initiatives help in upscaling the expertise of teachers and ensure that they are well-versed with modern teaching methods so that students can compete at the international level.”
Expressing satisfaction over the performance of students, he said, “It is a matter of immense pride that Punjab has ranked first in the National Achievement Survey conducted by the Government of India, surpassing even Kerala. Students are also being provided specialised coaching for competitive examinations such as Armed Forces preparation, NEET, JEE, CLAT and NIFT. Around 300 students from Schools of Eminence and other government schools have qualified for JEE Mains, JEE Advanced, and NEET examinations. The AAP-led Punjab government is giving major thrust to strengthening education in government schools.”
Bhagwant Mann added, “In the coming days, a person will be considered rich not by his wealth but by the education acquired by his children. That is why the state government is focusing on providing quality education to every child. It is a matter of great pride that on the eve of International Women’s Day, a farmer’s daughter from Punjab secured the 15th rank in the UPSC examination. Our government is giving wings to the daughters of the state so that they can excel in every field.”
Replying to a query, the Punjab Chief Minister said, “March 20 will be a red-letter day for Punjab as Tata Steel will begin operations at its second-largest plant in India on this day. The project, being set up at a cost of ₹3,200 crore, will generate employment opportunities for the youth and significantly boost economic activity in the state.
On another question, he responded, “So far, 385 persons from Punjab have been identified as stranded in Middle East countries amid the ongoing conflict. Around 300 of them are stuck in the UAE, and the rest are in other countries of the region.” He said that the state government is regularly taking up the issue with the government of India and reiterated the commitment of the Punjab government to ensure their safe return.
Asked about remarks by the US president regarding India buying oil from Russia, Bhagwant Mann quipped, “Those who used to boast that India would become ‘Vishav Guru’ have instead reduced it to ‘Vishav Chela’ as the United States is dictating its terms to the country. Unfortunately, the country’s foreign policy and sovereignty appear to be compromised.”
The Punjab Chief Minister also announced that the state government will strongly oppose the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2025. He said, “This is an attempt by the union government to usurp the rights of the states, which cannot be tolerated. Electricity, health, and education are state subjects, and the Centre has no right to interfere in them.”
Criticising the Congress for boycotting the governor’s address, he added, “Some self-proclaimed seasoned politicians are indulging in theatrics to hog media attention as they cannot digest that Punjab is back on the path of progress and prosperity.”
Taking a swipe at Akali leader Sukhbir Singh Badal, he said, “Sukhbir Singh Badal is living in a fool’s paradise and building castles in the air to mislead people. The people of Punjab are well aware of the past record of such leaders and will never allow them another chance to ruin the state.”
Cabinet Minister Harjot Singh Bains and others were also present on the occasion.
