A war of words has erupted between Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and BJP leader Capt Amarinder Singh. Mann has asserted that the government will not pay Rs 55 lakh spent on the stay of criminal Mukhtar Ansari in state jails. He says the money will be recovered from Capt Amarinder Singh and former deputy chief Sukhjinder Randhawa. If they fail to pay, their pension and benefits will be stopped. In response, Capt Amarinder Singh criticized Mann’s lack of knowledge about governance and advised him to learn before making ignorant statements. He questioned Mann’s involvement in the matter and told him to brush up on legal processes.
The Chief Minister accused Capt Amarinder Singh of prioritizing his own interests over the state’s, saying he has ignored the state’s interests during his time in power. Mann pointed out that Capt Amarinder Singh’s ancestors had betrayed Punjab and Punjabis by siding with the Mughals and Britishers. He accused Capt Amarinder Singh of joining hands with the anti-Punjab and anti-farmers BJP, despite the party’s responsibility for the martyrdom of more than 700 farmers during the agitation against farm laws. The Chief Minister likened Capt Amarinder Singh’s actions to his ancestors’ betrayal during the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
