Political slugfest in Punjab: CM Mann blames BJP for blasts in Jalandhar, Amritsar; saffron party hits back

Political temperatures rose in Punjab on Wednesday following low-intensity blasts near the BSF headquarters in Jalandhar and outside an Army camp in Amritsar’s Khasa area on Tuesday.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann blamed the BJP for the incidents, linking them to the party’s alleged preparations for the 2027 Punjab Assembly election.

“This is the BJP’s way of working. In any state where they have to contest election, they first create riots, carry out small blasts, and divide people on the basis of religion and caste. This is the BJP’s election preparation for Punjab,” Mann said.

Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar hit back, calling Mann’s statement irresponsible and driven by panic. He said the remarks proved that Mann was not fit to be the chief minister and accused him of prioritising politics over allowing the police to do their job.

Union minister Ravneet Bittu dared Mann to register an FIR against the BJP to substantiate his claim. Bittu expressed shock that the chief minister made such a serious allegation within hours of the blasts, even as the police had pointed to the involvement of Pakistan’s ISI.

He noted that a BJP office was also targeted in the recent incidents and questioned the CM’s logic. Referring to past elections, Bittu asked how many grenades were thrown during the West Bengal polls. He asserted that the BJP does not resort to such schemes to create trouble anywhere to attain power.

Senior BJP leader Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi questioned CM Mann, asking that if every untoward incident in Punjab was a BJP conspiracy, then what exactly had the AAP government been doing in power for the last four years?

He highlighted the “dangerous” collapse of law and order in the state under AAP rule, pointing out that the Punjab Police, Intelligence Wing, Home Department and the entire administrative machinery were under the direct control of the Mann government.

Sodhi stressed that maintaining peace, security and communal harmony was the primary responsibility of the state government, not the opposition, and accused the AAP of indulging in political blame games and escapism instead of addressing its own governance failures.

Congress leader Partap Bajwa urged the government to act swiftly and warned it against complacency. He pointed to the contradiction in the statements and called for clarity.

Bajwa said back-to-back blasts cannot be ignored and the administration must identify and punish those responsible. He noted that while conspiracy theories are circulating and fear is spreading among the public, the government cannot remain silent, especially when Punjab is already facing serious challenges like unemployment.

Meanwhile, Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav described the blasts in the context of a proxy war without naming any political party.

“We are in a state of proxy war... We shall crush ISI-sponsored elements working to disrupt peace in Punjab,” the DGP said.

Investigations by Punjab Police and forensic teams are under way at both sites. No casualties were reported in the blasts. The NIA is also expected to join the probe given the sensitive locations near security installations. The incidents have triggered a sharp political confrontation in the border state even as security agencies continue their work.