Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led central government following Enforcement Directorate searches linked to Punjab minister Sanjeev Arora, accusing the Centre of using investigative agencies as instruments of political pressure.
Speaking to reporters in Sangrur, Mann claimed that the BJP has repeatedly used agencies such as the ED, CBI and Income Tax Department to target opposition leaders across India and is now attempting the same strategy in Punjab.
He alleged that such actions are not aimed at uncovering financial wrongdoing but are designed to force political leaders into switching allegiance. According to Mann, once leaders join the BJP, investigations against them mysteriously lose momentum.
The Chief Minister pointed to recent cases involving political figures who, he claimed, faced intense scrutiny before eventually joining the BJP and receiving favourable treatment thereafter. He described this as a pattern of coercive politics.
Referring specifically to Sanjeev Arora, Mann said the minister had already faced multiple rounds of searches this year and maintained that no evidence of wrongdoing had been discovered. He alleged that the repeated action was intended to create pressure and send a political message.
Mann asserted that such methods would fail in Punjab, saying the state has a long history of standing firm against intimidation. He reminded the Centre that Punjab had successfully forced the withdrawal of the three controversial farm laws through sustained protest.
The Chief Minister also accused the central government of repeatedly sidelining Punjab’s interests on several administrative and financial matters. He cited pending Rural Development Fund dues, delayed flood compensation, disputes related to Chandigarh and concerns over control of key state-linked institutions as examples of what he described as unfair treatment.
He further claimed that his government’s recent anti-sacrilege legislation had unsettled forces seeking to disturb communal peace in Punjab. According to Mann, the law would act as a strong deterrent against attempts to create unrest.
Launching a broader political attack, he alleged that the BJP thrives on division and instability, but said Punjab’s social unity would prevent such efforts from succeeding.
Mann concluded by warning against attempts to interfere with Punjab’s political stability, saying the people of the state are fully aware of what he termed “pressure politics” and would respond through democratic means.
