BJP sends defamation notice to Bhagwant Mann over blast remarks

The BJP on Thursday served a legal notice to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over his remarks linking the party to recent low-intensity blasts in Punjab.

The notice was issued by BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh through his counsel, demanding that Mann withdraw his statement and issue a public apology within seven days.

The controversy began after Mann, during his ‘Shukrana Yatra’ in Rupnagar on Wednesday, alleged that the recent blasts in Amritsar and Jalandhar were part of the BJP’s “preparation” for the Punjab elections.

Referring to the recently implemented stricter sacrilege law in Punjab, Mann said those trying to create communal tension in the state were now resorting to low-intensity blasts because harsher punishments had made sacrilege attempts difficult.

Reacting to the remarks, Chugh questioned the basis of the allegations and asked where the evidence was.

“Punjab today is struggling with drugs, bomb blasts, gangster networks, and economic crisis, but the Bhagwant Mann government is making false allegations against the BJP to hide every one of its failures,” Chugh said.

He also claimed Mann’s statement contradicted the stand taken by the Punjab Police and the state Director General of Police, who had reportedly pointed towards possible involvement of Pakistan’s ISI and foreign networks in the incidents.

Chugh accused Mann of damaging the dignity of the chief minister’s office and said legal action had been initiated for criminal defamation, spreading false information, and attempting to incite public unrest.

Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu had earlier challenged Mann to register a case against the BJP if he had proof supporting his allegations.

Calling the remarks defamatory and dangerous, Chugh said such statements could create mistrust and unrest in Punjab.