New Delhi, May 6: Central Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has raised questions regarding the statements of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and the Director General of Police (DGP) in light of the recent bomb blasts in Amritsar and Jalandhar. Puri pointed out the contradiction, noting that while CM Mann downplayed the incidents, the DGP described them as operations linked to the ISI.
On Tuesday, two explosions rocked Punjab. The first blast occurred around 10:50 PM near the Khalsa Army camp in Amritsar, following an earlier explosion close to the BSF headquarters in Jalandhar. CM Mann characterized these blasts as minor incidents and suggested they were attempts by the BJP to incite violence ahead of the 2027 assembly elections. In response, Minister Puri criticized Mann’s remarks.
Puri condemned the incidents and advised the Chief Minister to retract his statement, emphasizing that Punjab is a sensitive border state with a history of violence stemming from across the border. He highlighted that the neighboring country uses terrorism as a policy and promotes it. Social media posts surfaced before the attacks, with the Khalistan Liberation Army claiming responsibility for the Jalandhar blast.
Puri expressed disappointment that the Chief Minister is interpreting the events differently. He noted that Mann, who oversees the Home Department, should align with the DGP’s assertion of an ISI-supported operation. He stressed that the issue of terrorism should not be politicized, as it pertains to national security, especially in a border state like Punjab. The Chief Minister appears to disagree with his own police chief’s statement, which raises concerns that he must address to the public. This situation is both unfortunate and alarming.
The Minister stated, “The Chief Minister is also the Home Minister, yet his own DGP clearly states that this was an ISI-supported operation from across the border. Initially, when the incident occurred at 8 PM, it was misreported as a vehicle fire. It was not a vehicle fire; it was an IED explosion. The second incident, which occurred at 10:50 PM, was also a complete IED explosion.”
He concluded, “The Chief Minister must answer to the public. They are politicizing their own failures. Ultimately, maintaining law and order is the state’s responsibility, especially in a border state with a history of cross-border terrorism. Therefore, I believe the Chief Minister’s statement is extremely unfortunate and regrettable.”
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