Punjab CM Mann questions Op Sindoor success, says victory speaks for itself, chest thumping not needed

A day after the “one nation, one husband scheme” remark against the BJP for reportedly planning to distribute sindoor to celebrate the success of Operation Sindoor, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has questioned the claims of success of the operation by the Centre.

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Reiterating that the BJP had planned to send sindoor (vermilion) to every household — a charge he made yesterday which the BJP denied vehemently — Mann today said, “It is obvious why the BJP government withdrew the plan to send sindoor to every house. If someone wins a war, it is visible. There is no need to send delegations to different countries to declare to everyone your claims of victory. Victory in a war speaks for itself. I have heard this for the first time that you go from door to door, chest thumping about having won the war,” he said after a Cabinet meeting today.

Mann said the External Affairs Minister claimed that the Indian forces struck at terrorist hideouts across the border. “So does this mean they hit only buildings? The Chief of Defence Staff admitted in Singapore that our jets were shot down. He said it was not important how many were shot down, but why they were shot down. They make these claims themselves and then falsely accuse me of siding with Pakistan,” Mann said, reacting to a statement made against him by Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Bittu. “Any idea that opposes the stand of the BJP is labelled as anti-national,” he said.

Yesterday, after CM Mann accused the BJP of seeking votes in the name of success of Operation Sindoor and made a remark of “one nation, one husband” to mock the BJP, Bittu had accused him of “standing with Pakistan”.

Asked to comment on the arrest of a YouTuber from Ropar, the Chief Minister said the Centre regulated social media channels in the country. However, he said if any anti-national activity came to the notice of law enforcing agencies in the state, appropriate action would be taken. Mann said anyone involved in crime against the country could not be spared and exemplary action would be taken against him.