Opposition Slams Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann Over Detention of Farm Leaders
Opposition parties have accused Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of betraying farm leaders Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Sarwan Singh Pandher, following their detention by Punjab Police.
Strong Condemnation from Political Leaders
Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Bittu called the detention of farm leaders—who were returning after a meeting with Union Ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Piyush Goyal—highly condemnable. He alleged that CM Mann had orchestrated a conspiracy against farmers to appease urban voters ahead of the Ludhiana (West) bypoll.
Bittu further accused AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal of deliberately fostering an urban-rural divide in Punjab, but insisted such tactics would fail.
Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring also denounced the detention of farm leaders, calling it an act of backstabbing by the Mann government. He claimed that the move was aimed at distracting the public from growing outrage over the brutal assault of a Colonel and his son by police personnel.
"There is no justification for detaining farm leaders when negotiations between them and the Central Government were progressing positively," Warring stated.
Allegations of Political Collusion
Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa accused CM Mann of collaborating with the BJP to suppress the farmers' movement through deceptive tactics. He urged Punjabis to reject AAP, stating that the party had now been fully exposed.
Former CM and Jalandhar MP Charanjit Singh Channi linked the detentions to CM Mann’s meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi. He also alleged that a heavy police and paramilitary presence had been deployed to quell the farmers' agitation.
Congress MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa criticized the government’s actions, stating, "God is watching the injustices being inflicted on farmers. CM Mann has been blinded by the arrogance of power."
SAD Calls for Immediate Release of Farm Leaders
Former SAD president Sukhbir Badal accused CM Mann of betraying farmers after promising MSP guarantees.
"Instead of standing with farmers, he is using force against them. The detained farm leaders must be released immediately," Badal said.
Senior SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia also condemned the crackdown, accusing the Mann government of suppressing the farmers’ voices.
As tensions escalate, opposition parties are ramping up pressure on the AAP-led Punjab government, demanding an immediate course correction on its handling of the farmers' movement.
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