Unfortunate and regrettable: Hardeep Singh Puri condemns Punjab CM's remarks on twin blasts

New Delhi, May 6 (IANS) Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister, Hardeep Singh Puri, on Wednesday criticised Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over his remarks linking the twin explosions to the BJP and accused him of giving the incident a "political colour" to hide what he called the state government's incompetence. 

This came as two back-to-back blasts rocked Punjab on Tuesday. At around 10:50 P.M., an explosion occurred near the boundary wall of the Khasa Army Camp in Amritsar. This came just two hours after a blast near the BSF headquarters in Jalandhar.

Chief Minister Mann on Wednesday called the blasts "minor" and linked them to what he called a part of the BJP's efforts to "instigate violence" ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.

Union Minister Puri condemned the Chief Minister's remarks and advised him to withdraw his statement.

Speaking to reporters, Puri said, "Punjab is not only a sensitive border state, but it also has a history of suffering from cross-border violence. Our western neighbour has been using terror as an instrument of state policy and has been exporting terror. And even before yesterday's blast, you must have seen social media posts. The Khalistan Liberation Army has, in fact, claimed responsibility for the Jalandhar attack."

Condemning the CM's remarks, the Union Minister said, "It is all the more regrettable that the Chief Minister of Punjab, Bhagwant Mann, is presenting a strange interpretation of it. By the way, the Chief Minister of Punjab is also currently the Home Minister. He said that the blast was 'minor.' He used that word -- minor. And he also suggested that perhaps it was the BJP who caused the blast. So, 'surprise' is too mild a term. It is unbelievable."

Puri said that even though Punjab's DGP Gaurav Yadav has clearly said that this is an ISI-backed action deliberately carried out ahead of the first anniversary of 'Operation Sindoor', CM Mann's remarks on this are "deeply regrettable".

When it comes to the issue of terrorism and zero-tolerance policy against it, the Union Minister said leaders should avoid giving it a "political colour".

"I know that in the recent election results in West Bengal, many of our opponents and some of our friends have faced difficulties. After so many years, in a state like Bengal, the BJP is going to form a government with strong momentum... But this statement by the Chief Minister, I hope he has the wisdom or political maturity to withdraw what he has said. Although I do not expect this from him," Puri said.

"However, this terrorist violence is much bigger than party politics. This concerns the country. And especially in sensitive border states like Punjab," he added.

The Union Minister further highlighted the contradictory statements made by CM Mann and the Punjab Police.

Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Wednesday said that Pakistan's ISI appears to be attempting to disturb the situation in the state ahead of 'Operation Sindoor's' first anniversary.

Stressing the statements made by the DGP, Puri said, "The Chief Minister is also the Home Minister of that state, but his own Director General of Police, Yadav, is clearly saying that this is a cross-border, ISI-sponsored and fuelled action. And secondly, when this happened at 8 P.M., in the beginning, someone even tried to say that this was a vehicle fire. This was not a vehicle fire; this was a proper IED. Another attack, which happened at 10.50 P.M., was again a very clear IED."

The Union Minister said that CM Mann, who is also the Home Minister, is "not clear" about what his Director General of Police is saying.

"He will have to answer to the public for this. The thing is that he is giving political colouring to his own incompetence. After all, it is the responsibility of the state to maintain law and order, especially in the border state, where there is a history of cross-border terrorism. So that is why I feel that this is even more unfortunate and regrettable, the Chief Minister's statement," he added.

--IANS

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