Chandigarh, March 5:
Amid a standoff between the Punjab government and revenue officers, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday issued a stern warning to striking tehsildars, directing them to return to work or risk being replaced. This comes in response to the Punjab Revenue Officers’ Association’s decision to suspend property registration work till March 7 in protest against action taken by the Vigilance Bureau in a fraudulent land deal case in Ludhiana.

Speaking to the media during his visit to tehsils in Mohali and Kharar, CM Mann said the officers’ strike was an attempt to seek a “license for corruption” and asserted that his government had zero tolerance for corruption.

“They want a licence to be corrupt. That’s not going to happen. We’ve assigned registration duties to kanungos and other officials. If required, we’ll empower school principals and headmasters to carry out registry work. The public must not suffer,” said the CM.

The protest erupted after a sub-registrar, nambardar, registry clerk, and others in Ludhiana were booked by the Vigilance Bureau over alleged involvement in fraudulent land transactions. Following this, tehsildars across Punjab went on mass casual leave, paralysing property registration processes in many districts.

CM Mann made it clear that the government will not bow to pressure or be blackmailed. “This is not just a protest — it is an attempt to shield the corrupt under the garb of unity. We will act firmly and ensure public services are not held hostage,” he said.

The strike has already disrupted thousands of property-related transactions and caused significant inconvenience to the public. Officials said the state is exploring administrative alternatives to keep essential services running.