A political clash has surfaced in Punjab following a request from the Enforcement Directorate to the state’s police chief. The agency is seeking action against officials associated with the Chief Minister’s Office, which includes a close aide to Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann. This development marks a significant escalation in tensions within the state’s political landscape.
The communication has sparked a sharp response from Bhagwant Mann, who made it clear that his government will not act against his officials merely on basis of a demand from a Central agency.
The communication has sparked a sharp response from Mann, who made it clear that his government will not act against his officials merely on basis of a demand from a Central agency. The Chief Minister has alleged that the BJP-led Centre is misusing agencies such as the ED and CBI to target political opponents and put pressure on Opposition-ruled states. The development assumes significance as the ED’s communication directly seeks action through the state police machinery against individuals associated with the Chief Minister’s Office. Mann, however, has refused to accept what he described as an attempt to intimidate his government. The Chief Minister has tagged the ED action as part of a larger pattern of political vendetta against the Aam Aadmi Party.
The BJP, he alleged, has been unable to establish a strong political base in Punjab and is therefore relying on Central agencies to target the AAP government. Because they had no substantive issues to attack his government on, he accused his political opponents of raising allegations against him.
