SANGRUR, MAY 20 — Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann sharply criticized the central government on Tuesday, asserting that the Narendra Modi-led administration is using the ongoing Gulf war to obscure deep structural failures in India’s economic and foreign policies.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of an infrastructure launch event in Sangrur, Mann criticized the Union government’s recent calls for nationwide austerity. He stated that the administration is creating an undeclared, lockdown-like environment that places unnecessary burdens on ordinary citizens while failing to manage the fallout of the international conflict.
“The Union government failed to anticipate the gravity of the situation arising out of the Gulf war, leading to complete chaos in the country,” Mann declared. “Instead of putting the country virtually in a state of lockdown, the Prime Minister should honestly convey to the country the situation of Oil, LPG and Gold reserves.”
The Chief Minister questioned the unique nature of the central government’s warnings, pointing out that neighboring countries have not subjected their populations to similar panic regarding the availability of fuel or commodities. He noted that while the war involves Israel and Iran, the domestic impact appears disproportionately severe due to mismanagement in New Delhi.
Mann also challenged the Prime Minister’s diplomatic record, stating that previous claims of elevating India to a global leader, or “Vishav Guru,” have instead resulted in a dependent relationship, which he termed a “Vishav Chela.” He maintained that major domestic decisions are now heavily influenced by external allies like the United States.
Furthermore, the Chief Minister addressed the regular international travel of the Prime Minister, noting a lack of accountability regarding what these journeys achieve for the public. He asserted that official trips frequently serve the financial interests of select corporate leaders who accompany the delegation.
“The Prime Minister takes his industrialist friends along with him on these trips abroad and facilitates them for investments,” Mann claimed. “The result is that the blue-eyed industrialists of Narendra Modi are getting richer day by day whereas on the other hand the country is getting poorer.”
Turning to regional matters, Mann dismissed statements from the Punjab BJP leadership, describing them as disconnected from local realities and merely echoing commands from national party leaders. On the subject of agricultural supplies, he affirmed that he had personally engaged with the Union Agriculture Minister to ensure that Punjab’s necessary allocation of Diammonium Phosphate fertilizer would be delivered without shortage.
Mann concluded by alleging that federal investigative bodies, including the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Enforcement Directorate, and the Income Tax Department, are being deployed as political instruments to pressure opposition leaders. He stated that such actions undermine democratic norms by systematically targeting political competitors.
