Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday launched a strong attack on the Centre following the recent Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid on Cabinet Minister Sanjeev Arora alleging that central agencies are being used to target opposition parties and “suppress democracy.”
Addressing a press conference Mann said that while India is known as the world’s largest democracy the BJP-led Centre is attempting to weaken other political parties through agencies like the ED, CBI, and the Election Commission and claimed that opposition leaders are being intimidated and pressured alleging that such tactics were earlier used in Delhi against leaders like Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia who were jailed.
Referring to recent developments in Punjab Mann said that the ED had first conducted a raid on AAP Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Mittal whose university has over 40,000 students and has now targeted Sanjeev Arora and also adds that Arora had defeated BJP candidates questioning whether the actions indicate preparations for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.
“They do not win elections through people but through ED, CBI and the Election Commission and they try to scare leaders and win through pressure” Mann said adding that “only non-BJP leaders are being harassed and nothing substantial comes out of these actions.”
The Chief Minister alleged that leaders are asked to join the BJP and are intimidated if they refuse he further claimed that those who join the BJP are “cleared” while those who oppose it are targeted “If someone joins them they come out clean like from a washing machine” he remarked.
Mann also raised concerns about what he described as a decline in democratic values calling the situation “dictatorship” and “a threat to democracy” and he also criticized the Centre for focusing on political actions instead of public issues such as job creation and the LPG crisis.
Mann also said that the BJP “does not even have 117 candidates to contest all Assembly seats in Punjab” alleging that the party is trying to scare leaders and bring in candidates from other parties along with this he further alleged that the BJP lacks leadership in Punjab and is attempting to bring in leaders from other parties and also criticized the Centre over issues like delays in passing bills and questioned the implementation of electoral processes including the concept of “one nation, one election.”
Referring to global comparisons Mann said that such practices are often associated with countries like North Korea and Russia expressing concern over similar trends in India and also accused the Centre of attempting to win elections “at any cost” even if it involves measures like delimitation.
Calling upon people to safeguard democratic values Mann said that the country was built on the sacrifices of freedom fighters and that such actions undermine those sacrifices and asserted that his government would not be intimidated stating “We are not the leaves that will fall in a storm.”
Concluding his remarks Mann said he opposes the ED action and that his party stands with the truth and also appealed to the public to remain confident adding that justice would prevail.
