CHANDIGARH, APRIL 17 — Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann issued a sharp critique of the central government on Friday, asserting that federal investigative agencies are being utilized as political tools against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). His remarks followed a series of Enforcement Directorate (ED) searches targeting state ministers, which Mann described as a targeted campaign to undermine the state’s democratic leadership.
During a press conference, Mann stated that the recent actions against party leaders Sanjeev Arora and Tarunpreet Singh Sond (referred to in local reports as part of the ongoing probe) demonstrate a pattern of intimidation. He maintained that these efforts would not succeed in breaking the resolve of his administration. The Chief Minister declared that the federal government is attempting to force opposition leaders into joining the ruling party at the center through the use of the ED and CBI.
“Do all you want to scare us, we won’t bend or break,” Mann stated, affirming that the party remains united despite the pressure. He noted that the central leadership appears to be focusing on Punjab due to a lack of viable candidates within their own ranks for the state’s 117 constituencies. He asserted that after previous political strategies failed to yield results in the region, the reliance on investigative agencies has increased.
The Chief Minister also declared that the current state of affairs poses a challenge to the federal structure of the country. He noted that similar patterns of administrative interference have been observed in other states, such as West Bengal and Bihar. Mann concluded by calling on citizens to recognize the threats to democratic norms, maintaining that his government would continue to prioritize the interests of Punjab over political pressure.
