Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann accused the BJP-led Centre of misusing businesses like ED and CBI after contemporary raids on minister Sanjeev Arora. Mann alleged political vendetta, divisive politics, discrimination towards Punjab, and warned BJP ways would fail within the state
Printed Date – 9 Might 2026, 02:13 PM
Chandigarh: Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann alleged that the BJP-led Centre is taking part in “harmful video games” with Punjab as he slammed it after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday carried out contemporary searches towards Punjab Industries Minister Sanjeev Arora.
He additionally accused the Centre of utilizing businesses just like the ED and the CBI as “weapons” to fulfill their political ends. Mann additionally accused the BJP of indulging in “divisive and politics of hatred”, and known as it “Bharat Jalao Occasion”.
He stated the BJP is taking part in “harmful video games” with Punjab, however the state gained’t allow them to accomplish that. Addressing a information convention in Sangrur, CM Mann alleged businesses just like the ED, CBI and Earnings Tax Division are “4 to 5 weapons on the BJP’s disposal which have been politicised”. “For a very long time, they’ve been utilizing them for his or her politics. Be it Maharashtra, Odisha, Bihar, Karnataka, West Bengal. Now, Punjab is on their goal,” CM Mann stated.
The ED on Saturday carried out contemporary searches towards Arora and a few others allegedly linked to him as a part of an investigation right into a newly registered cash laundering case, officers stated. They stated Arora’s official residence in Chandigarh is among the many 5 premises raided.
The searches have been launched after the central company registered a contemporary case beneath the felony sections of the Prevention of Cash Laundering Act (PMLA), the officers stated. In April, the ED had raided Arora and his linked entities beneath the civil provisions of the International Trade Administration Act (FEMA). Arora (62) is an Aam Aadmi Occasion (AAP) MLA from the Ludhiana West Meeting seat.
“I strongly condemn the misuse of ED, which they’re doing,” Mann stated hitting out on the Centre.
“By conducting ED raids, their goal is to not discover any black cash or any unlawful doc, their goal is to convey to the particular person at whose premises the raid is carried out to affix the BJP, and every thing he has carried out will likely be forgiven,” he stated. Mann cited the instance of Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Mittal and questioned what occurred to the ED motion towards him after he joined the BJP lately.
The Punjab chief minister stated the ED’s “so-called” searches towards Arora have been occurring, the third time in simply over a yr, “although nothing has been discovered from the earlier searches”. He alleged that the Centre operates by instilling concern like this among the many opponents and added that they can accomplish that in different states, however their ways gained’t work in Punjab.
“I need to inform the BJP, Modi and Amit Shah very clearly that that is Punjab, it isn’t scared by such threats. Modi needed to take U-turn and apologise over three farm legal guidelines. Perhaps Modi remains to be harbouring that ache,” he stated. Earlier, Mann wrote in a submit on X, “I need to inform Modi ji that Punjab is the land of the Gurus, which even Aurangzeb couldn’t subdue”.
Mann additional stated, “That is the land of Bhagat Singh, who by no means bowed earlier than the British, so Punjab won’t ever bow earlier than Modi’s ways. The top of this unethical alliance of ED-BJP will start from Punjab itself.” A number of different AAP leaders, together with Harpal Singh Cheema and Aman Arora, slammed the Centre over the ED searches.
Addressing the press convention in Sangrur, Chief Minister Mann alleged the Centre was adopting discriminatory angle and had not but launched rural growth funds, the funds of flood aid package deal introduced final yr and failed to deal with any points helpful to Punjab, together with issues associated to the Bhakra Beas Administration Board, water assets, Panjab College and Chandigarh. Mann alleged that the BJP performs “divisive politics” and makes two communities battle after which stands with one among them to hunt votes.
“This gained’t work in Punjab. In Punjab, Hindu-Sikh bonding could be very robust. On this fertile land of Punjab, something which is sown can develop however this land has no place for politics of hatred, I need to inform this to the BJP, which does politics of hatred,” he stated. The “so-called Vijay Rath of Modi” will halt in Punjab after the 2027 Meeting polls, Mann claimed.
He alleged that the BJP wins elections primarily based on the “misuse of businesses” and ways like “vote deletion”, which quantity to the “homicide of democracy”, however added that Punjabis gained’t enable such ways. “…That is how they put together for elections by conducting ED raids… Such issues gained’t work right here,” he stated. “I need to inform them that in the event that they have a look at Punjab with an evil eye, then Punjabis will give a stern reply… this sort of dictatorship won’t work in Punjab,” he stated.
Mann additional alleged that wherever the BJP goes, it incites riots, after which seeks votes. “That is their approach of working. That is Bharat Jalao Occasion. BJP is Bharat Jalao Occasion,” he alleged. “In the event that they get 2/third majority within the Lok Sabha, they’ll even take out Punjab’s identify from the nationwide anthem,” he stated.
He stated BJP leaders like Sunil Jakhar are in search of registration of a sedition case towards the chief minister over the accusation of blaming the saffron get together for the latest twin blasts in Jalandhar and Amritsar.
“(Punjab BJP chief) Sunil Jakhar says sedition case needs to be registered towards Bhagwnat Mann… Will they provide us the certificates in patriotism?” he requested, whereas including he doesn’t care about their circumstances.