Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday hit out at the BJP over the 12-hour Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raids conducted across Punjab, asserting that the agency’s teams returned empty-handed and that nothing was found despite an extensive search across Punjab. He said the outcome was a clear reflection of the government’s integrity and accused the BJP of using central agencies to intimidate and tarnish the image of an elected Chief Minister ahead of elections. He affirmed neither he nor the Punjab Government would be cowed down by such tactics, asserting that they had entered public life to serve Punjab, not to make money, and that Punjabis would never tolerate ‘Dhakkashahi’.
Taking to X, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated: “...The CBI raids are merely the result of political frustration. We will not be intimidated by or bow down to these petty attempts to scare or defame us. We have come here not to make money, but to serve Punjab, and Punjabis never tolerate injustice.”
Interacting with media persons on the sidelines of an event in Sangrur, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that neither he nor the Punjab Government would be intimidated by such tactics. “We are not going anywhere. We will face the central agencies and answer every question. The BJP should understand that Punjabis are not going to be frightened by threats or arm-twisting tactics,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that the timing of the CBI raids was significant and showed that the BJP had started preparing for the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections. “Whenever elections approach, a familiar pattern emerges in states where the BJP faces a political challenge. In Delhi they arrested Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, and Satyendar Jain before the elections. In Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Delhi, Haryana and other states, whenever elections approach, central agencies suddenly become active,” he said.
He said that Punjab would not fall prey to this politics of intimidation. “The teams that came to raid Punjab have already returned empty-handed. They came with a purpose, but what did they find? Nothing. They went back empty-handed,” he said, adding that when there was no wrongdoing, such raids became nothing more than an attempt to create fear and tarnish reputations.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the attempt was not confined to targeting him politically, but was also aimed at tarnishing the image of his family and the work being done by the Punjab Government. “This is an attempt to defame me, my family and the work being done by our government. But such conspiracies will not stop us from serving the people of Punjab. The BJP is making futile and desperate attempts to harass us,” he said.
Referring to the state government’s ongoing ‘Yudh Nashean Virudh’, the Chief Minister affirmed that political pressure would not weaken its resolve. “We are fighting against drugs because the future of Punjab’s youth is at stake. We are taking this message to every corner of the state. This fight is for the future of our children and to honour the martyrs and those who sacrificed their lives for Punjab,” he said.
He said that Punjabis had repeatedly demonstrated their resilience and would not be manipulated through threats, raids or political pressure. “Punjabis have never bowed before pressure, and they will not do so now. Punjab is not going to succumb to these tactics. We will stand firm and continue working for Punjab and its people,” he said.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann asserted that the BJP should not assume that the people of Punjab could be intimidated through central agencies. “For the BJP, everything may be about elections, but for us, governance is about serving the people. Elections will come and go, but Punjab and its people will remain our priority,” he said.
He said that the Punjab Government would continue exposing what it considers attempts to misuse central government institutions for political purposes and remain committed to the welfare and development of the state. “We have nothing to hide and nothing to fear. We will face every agency, every inquiry and every challenge with courage,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that Punjab would neither be intimidated nor silenced, adding that the BJP had a long record of what he described as working against the interests of the state and its people. “Whether it is the issue of Panjab University, Chandigarh, Bhakhra Beas Management Board (BBMB), the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal, the Harike canal, Republic Day tableaux, RDF funds or border area funds, the BJP has always treated Punjab unfairly,” he said.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann also pointed out the BJP's role in the deaths of more than 700 farmers from Punjab during the farmers’ agitation against the farm laws. “The hands of the BJP are drenched with the murder of more than 700 farmers of the state, who attained martyrdom during the protest against the draconian farm laws,” he said.
Highlighting the achievements of the state government in the agriculture sector, the Chief Minister stated that the expansion of canal irrigation had brought tangible benefits to farmers. “Canal water is reaching farmers in a much bigger way. Because of better availability of canal water, farmers have witnessed an increase in agricultural production of up to four quintals per acre in many areas,” he said.
He said that increasing the use of canal water was also essential for protecting Punjab’s precious groundwater resources and securing the agricultural future of the state. He said the government was committed to expanding canal irrigation so that farmers could increasingly rely on surface water instead of groundwater.
Taking a dig at the opposition parties, the Chief Minister said that the Congress was preoccupied with internal infighting, while the Shiromani Akali Dal had been pushed to the margins because of its own past actions. “The people love the Aam Aadmi Party because it has already done tangible work for the welfare of the common man,” he said.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the AAP would continue working for the people and script a new chapter in Punjab’s political history in the 2027 Assembly elections.