Chandigarh, August 19, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday accused the BJP of misusing central investigative agencies to target Opposition leaders and alleged that the arrest of senior AAP leader and Punjab Sah-Prabhari Satyendar Jain was an act of “political vendetta” ahead of the Assembly elections.
In a post on X, Mann said the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was being used by the Centre to intimidate and suppress Opposition leaders. He described Jain’s arrest as “a clear case of political vendetta” and said such an approach was not in the interest of democracy.
Addressing a press conference, the Chief Minister alleged that the BJP had followed a similar strategy in Delhi before the Assembly elections by putting senior AAP leaders behind bars. He described the action against Jain as another example of what he called the BJP’s “old strategy” of using agencies such as the ED and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against political rivals.
Mann also hit out at Opposition criticism of his government, saying he did not require a “certificate of honesty” from leaders whom he accused of having “mercilessly” plundered Punjab and its people.
“The BJP, which has no base in the state, is using the ED and CBI to defame and threaten us,” Mann said, adding that political pressure would not deter him from working for the welfare of Punjab’s people.
The Chief Minister also rejected what he described as attempts to question Punjab’s patriotism and nationalism. He said Punjabis had made countless sacrifices for the country and asserted that neither the BJP nor the Union government needed to certify their patriotism.
Mann also addressed the state’s water situation, saying the Punjab government was regularly monitoring water levels in rivers and other water sources. He urged people not to panic.
On jailed former militant Jagtar Singh Hawara, Mann said he should be granted parole on humanitarian grounds to meet his ailing mother. The Chief Minister said he had already raised the matter with the Punjab Governor and that the final decision rested with the Government of India.
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