Punjab CM draws flak for ‘one nation, one husband' remark post Operation Sindoor
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday hit out at the BJP, accusing the saffron party of politicising Operation Sindoor for electoral gains.
The BJP was quick to get back at him and demanded he apologise and resign for making light of the military operation launched on May 7 to avenge the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which the husbands of Hindu women tourists, identified by their sindoor, were targeted.
Replying to a question about the BJP campaign for the June 19 Ludhiana West assembly byelection, Mann accused the party of making a mockery of Indian traditions and seeking votes in the name of Operation Sindoor for the bypoll in Ludhiana West assembly constituency.
Alluding to reports that BJP workers are distributing sindoor (vermillion) to households following the success of Operation Sindoor, Mann remarked: 'Will you wear sindoor in (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi's name? Is this One Nation, One Husband?'
They (BJP) are sending sindoor to every household, will you apply that,' he asked the reporter.
The BJP denied any such drive to win over voters and its leaders, including the party's state unit's spokesperson Pritpal Singh Balliawal, termed the CM's remarks 'shameful'.
BJP candidate Jiwan Gupta is contesting against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) nominee and MP Sanjeev Arora, Congress's Bharat Bhushan Ashu and Shiromani Akali Dal leader Parupkar Singh Ghumman for the Ludhiana West assembly seat. Describing Mann's remarks as 'vulgarity dressed as leadership', the BJP demanded Mann's resignation.
'He didn't insult the BJP. He insulted every widow of a soldier, every mother of a martyr, every woman of Bharat. And now a question to (AAP national convener) Arvind Kejriwal: Do you support your CM mocking sindoor, a sacred symbol worn by your own wife? Or will you stay silent just to protect your politics? Mann must resign and apologise to the nation,' the party posted on X, adding 'He can't grasp the meaning of sindoor — a symbol of love, sacrifice, and strength for every Indian woman.'
Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu also slammed the remarks terming it a 'cheap political commentary' on a sensitive national security issue and demanded an unconditional apology from Mann for his 'crass' remarks.
'I never expected that Bhagwant Mann would stoop so low by mocking the widows of Pahalgam. You may be a former comedian, but that doesn't give you the right to mock the widows of martyrs or the valour of our armed forces,' Bittu said in Ludhiana.
Bittu also accused Congress of politicising the army's brave actions and undermining the sacrifices of soldiers and their families.
Taking a jibe at Punjab Congress state chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Bittu said that he has joined the AAP in questioning the legitimacy of the army's actions. 'Warring asked for proof of the operation's success by suggesting that the army should display the remains of Pakistani fighter jets. This shows a deep mistrust in our own armed forces and is a disgrace to the nation,' Bittu said.
He alleged that Congress has long taken a soft stance on Pakistan and its sympathisers. 'Questioning the army only emboldens our enemies. Warring's comments are not just shameful, they are deeply damaging,' Bittu said
Mann must apologise: Cong's Ashu
Congress' Ludhiana West bypoll candidate and former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu slammed Mann for making fun of 'sindoor'.
'It has become a fashion to make fun of and mock the Hindu customs and rituals and CM Mann proved to be no exception', Ashu said.
The senior Congress leader said such insulting remarks about Hindu practices are unacceptable and the CM must tender an unconditional apology.
Under Operation Sindoor, the Indian armed forces carried out pre-dawn missile strikes on May 7 on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, including the Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold of Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba's base in Muridke, in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives.
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