On Wednesday, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of orchestrating two blasts near security establishments in the state. In response, the BJP challenged Mann to provide evidence for his claims or resign from his position. Other opposition parties in Punjab, such as the Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal, dismissed Mann’s comments as “immature,” “panic-driven,” and a troubling way to distract from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s shortcomings regarding law and order.
The incidents occurred on Tuesday night, with the first explosion taking place outside the Border Security Force’s Punjab Frontier headquarters in Jalandhar at approximately 8 PM, followed by another blast near the Army cantonment in Khasa village, Amritsar, around 11 PM.
Describing the blasts as “minor,” Mann alleged that the BJP was attempting to instill fear in Punjab ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections next year. He stated, “This is the BJP’s modus operandi. Whenever they are preparing for elections in a state, they resort to orchestrating riots, blasts, or inciting tensions between communities. These incidents indicate that the BJP is gearing up for Punjab.” Mann made these statements while addressing a gathering in Anandpur Sahib.
Labeling the BJP as a “communal party,” Mann added, “Now that the elections in Bengal are behind them, their focus has shifted to Punjab. They aim to win votes through intimidation. The people of Punjab are committed to peace and the welfare of all. Such despicable actions will not succeed; Punjabis have always stood firmly with the nation.”
In a rebuttal, BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh remarked, “While the Director General of Police (DGP) attributes the blasts to Pakistan’s ISI, Mann is making reckless accusations. Either he substantiates his claims with evidence or resigns as Chief Minister.” Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu also challenged Mann to file a police report against the BJP regarding the incidents.
In light of the DGP’s suspicions, Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa questioned the credibility of the political leadership versus that of the state’s chief police officer, raising concerns about whom the people of Punjab should trust.
