A day after the external affairs ministry disapproved Bhagwant Mann’s criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign visits, the chief minister on Friday again raked up the issue in the state assembly and asked whether he did not have a right to question about a foreign policy.
The CM, later also took a jibe at Union home minister Amit Shah, saying that he was ‘ousted’ from Gujarat.
Participating in a debate over the resolution against the deployment of CISF personnel at the Bhakra-Nangal project on the second day of the assembly session here, Mann again asserted that the PM has no time to address the ‘concerns of 140 crore Indians’ but has time to tour abroad, triggering sharp reactions from BJP’s Punjab unit chief Sunil Jakhar.
“The MEA has reacted. Don’t we have a right to ask the PM about foreign policy? Do the countries which he visits support our nation afterwards? When our relation with Pakistan turned bad, did any country stand by us,” he asked.
On Thursday, Mann had criticised Modi for celebrating a foreign honour from a country with a population of just 10,000 while ‘neglecting’ the nation’s pressing issues. The MEA without naming Mann, said the government of India ‘disassociates’ itself from the ‘unwarranted’ comments made by a ‘high state authority’ that undermined India’s ties with friendly countries.
{{/usCountry}}On Thursday, Mann had criticised Modi for celebrating a foreign honour from a country with a population of just 10,000 while ‘neglecting’ the nation’s pressing issues. The MEA without naming Mann, said the government of India ‘disassociates’ itself from the ‘unwarranted’ comments made by a ‘high state authority’ that undermined India’s ties with friendly countries.
{{/usCountry}}Later, after the day’s session was adjourned, Mann also took a jibe at home minister Amit Shah, calling him a ‘fugitive’, who was ousted from Gujarat.
“If ‘tadipaar’ becomes the home minister, then what can be expected,” Mann remarked, kicking up a row with Union minister of state for railways Ravneet Singh Bittu slamming Punjab CM over ‘objectionable and irresponsible’ remarks.
Hitting back, Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar condemned the derogatory remarks made against the PM and home minister and said the CM has forgotten all sense of decorum.
“Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann ji, who knows better than you that when a person’s shadow grows larger than their stature, it means the sun is about to set, and when someone’s tongue outgrows their worth, it signifies the beginning of their downfall,” Jakhar wrote in a post on X.
The state BJP president emphasised that Punjab is a sacred land with a tradition of respectful discourse, which the chief minister has disregarded.
Union minister of state for railways Ravneet Singh Bittu also slammed ‘objectionable and irresponsible’ remarks against Shah.
“Such language (against Union home minister) is not only offensive but also undermines the dignity of the chief minister’s office,” Bittu said.
He accused the Punjab CM of repeatedly breaching political decorum and failing to uphold civility in public life.
“Mann lacks the basic courtesy expected of a leader. His language is not just crude but shows complete disregard for democratic values,” he said, adding, “It is unfortunate that the chief minister mocks the country’s diplomatic efforts without even understanding their importance. These visits are crucial for trade, technology, and strategic partnerships. “Such occasions should be viewed as national achievements, not as fodder for political sarcasm.”