Chandigarh, May 6
Punjab’s political battlefield turned incendiary after Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann accused the BJP of “orchestrating blasts” in Jalandhar and Amritsar to destabilize his government. The remark, delivered with Mann’s trademark defiance, immediately set off a storm across party lines. Opposition leaders seized on the statement, flooding social media with barbed tweets.
Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar said that the bomb blasts that took place last night in Jalandhar and Amritsar are a matter of serious concern but even more worrying is the statement made by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. “Mann’s “irresponsible statement” regarding the bomb blasts in Amritsar and Jalandhar only goes on to prove that “he is not fit to be the Chief Minister of Punjab.” While the Punjab DGP is pointing towards the involvement of Pakistan’s ISI behind these incidents, the Chief Minister, driven by politics, is making irresponsible statements. His remarks reflect panic and fear of losing his chair.”
Jakhar added that it would be better if Mann stopped worrying about his position and instead allowed the police to do their actual job, rather than using them to keep track of MLAs. “Because if the MLAs have decided to leave, no amount of police deployment will be able to stop them,” he added. Venting his anger on the Mann, Union Minister Ravneet Bittu condemned Mann’s statement in the strongest terms. “I dare Mann to register an FIR against the BJP”, he said in a video message, while adding that Mann seems to have lost his mental balance.
BJP National Spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill wrote on X, “By linking BJP to blast in Punjab, Bhagwant Mann is giving cover fire/clean chit to terrorist/gangsters behind the attack! Who is Bhagwant Mann trying to protect & give a clean chit? Whenever there is an attack on India soil, why does opposition jump to protect the attackers?”
Reacting strongly, Leader of Opposition Partap Bajwa said, “Punjab’s CM, who is also Home Minister, says BJP is behind the blasts, while Punjab’s DGP says Pakistan’s ISI is responsible. If Mann has information that BJP leaders or workers are involved, then he should immediately disclose his sources, place the evidence before the people of Punjab, and register criminal cases against all those responsible. I dare Mann to act on his own allegations and register a case against the BJP instead of hiding behind politically convenient statements. Whom should the people of Punjab trust — the political leadership or the state’s top police officer? Ironically, when I raised alarm bells and cautioned Punjabis, Mann’s Punjab police booked me for allegedly “spreading panic” and “hiding information. Today, the AAP Punjab government itself is sending contradictory signals while fear continues to spread among the public.
Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring posted on X handle, “When bombs are exploding and governments are asleep. This isn’t just negligence – this is toying with Punjab’s security. If CM Sahib knows that BJP is behind this, then why doesn’t CM Sahib take action? Will Punjab run just on rhetoric? Or is the rule of law still intact somewhere?
“From power cuts to law‑and‑order collapse, the CM now blames BJP for everything—even blasts,” said a senior BJP leader, calling it “a desperate bid to play victim.” Shiromani Akali Dal leaders were equally scathing, branding Mann’s allegation “irresponsible and dangerous.” SAD leaders accused the AAP government of “hiding behind theatrics while Punjab bleeds.” The clash of narratives—Mann’s defiant accusation versus the opposition’s derision—has left Punjab’s political discourse more polarized than ever. Many other BJP, Congress and Akali Dal leaders mocked Mann’s “conspiracy obsession,” suggesting he was deflecting from governance failures. Punjab’s politics now teeters between governance and paranoia, with security itself becoming the latest battleground of credibility.
