Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday strongly criticised opposition leaders for resorting to what he termed as a politics of “threat and terror,” warning that the people of Punjab would not tolerate such divisive and mischievous behaviour.
His remarks came a day after he publicly condemned Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, Partap Singh Bajwa, for claiming that “50 bombs have reached Punjab,” a statement that triggered widespread concern and official action. Following this controversial statement, Bajwa was booked under serious charges related to spreading false and misleading information that could endanger national sovereignty and unity.
The FIR was registered under Sections 197(1)(d) and 353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which pertain to statements that incite hatred or threaten the security and integrity of the country.
Bajwa had made the explosive claim during an interview with a private news channel, asserting that of the 50 bombs he alleged had reached Punjab, 18 had already detonated and 32 were yet to go off.
In response, Punjab Police visited Bajwa’s residence on Sunday to question him about the source of his information, which lacked any official corroboration. Addressing a public gathering on Monday, Chief Minister Mann took a direct swipe at Bajwa, ridiculing him for making baseless claims and then scrambling to hire lawyers when asked to substantiate his remarks.
Mann said that such tactics are nothing more than fearmongering and warned that Punjab had already endured enough violence and unrest in its past.
Also Read: FIR against Partap Bajwa over grenade claim in Punjab
Mann urged political leaders to focus on genuine issues rather than attempting to create an atmosphere of fear for political gain. He described Bajwa’s bomb claims as illogical and deliberately intended to terrorise the public and spread panic.
The Chief Minister stressed that the people of Punjab would not forgive leaders who tried to mislead them through such irresponsible behaviour.
He further emphasised that neither the state police nor central intelligence agencies had any input or confirmation of such a threat, calling Bajwa’s statement both false and irrelevant.
Lambasting the opposition for what he called an apathetic and reckless attitude, Mann asserted that the era of misleading propaganda was over and that the public was now well aware of the tactics used by such leaders.
He concluded by reiterating that such conduct was completely unacceptable and that the people of Punjab would continue to reject those who tried to manipulate their fears for political mileage.
Also Read: Bajwa grilled by Punjab CI over grenade claim
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