Punjab Newsline | New Delhi
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday strongly responded to BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak after meeting President Droupadi Murmu in New Delhi.
Mann’s remarks came after Pathak termed the FIRs registered against him in Punjab as “false and fabricated.” Reacting sharply, the Chief Minister said, “You cannot hide behind the BJP. This may work in other states, but not in Punjab.”
He emphasized that Punjabis do not tolerate threats, stating that any intimidation is met with a stronger response. “In Punjab, people don’t bow to threats—they respond with greater strength,” Mann added.
The Chief Minister also asserted that joining the Bharatiya Janata Party does not provide a “protective shield” against legal action.
Raising concerns over political developments, Mann said he informed the President that claims of a handful of MPs merging an entire party were unconstitutional. “If 6–7 members of one House say they are merging the entire party, it cannot be allowed. This is a mockery of democracy,” he said.
He further pointed out the imbalance in representation, noting that while the BJP has only two MLAs in Punjab, it now has six Rajya Sabha MPs from the state. Mann termed this situation a “violation of constitutional spirit.”
The Chief Minister also demanded an amendment to introduce the “Right to Recall” provision in the Constitution.
Earlier in the day, Mann had arrived in Delhi with around 90 MLAs in three Volvo buses before meeting the President.
