CM Bhagwant Mann Says BJP’s “Divide and Rule” Tactics Will Fail in Punjab
Bathinda :Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday said attempts to divide people on religious and political lines would not succeed in Punjab, as his statewide ‘Shukrana Yatra’ entered its third day from Bathinda.
Addressing supporters during the march, Mann hit back at BJP leaders who had allegedly demanded a sedition case against him. He said those accusing him of being anti-national had “not hoisted the Tricolour at RSS offices for 52 years.”
The Chief Minister said Punjab would not allow divisive politics to take root in the state. “The BJP’s politics of creating divisions may work in states like Maharashtra or Uttar Pradesh, but it will not work in Punjab,” he said. Referring to recent unrest in West Bengal, Mann claimed that violence and hatred spread wherever such politics prevailed, adding that Punjabis would remain united against such forces.
Mann also warned BJP leaders to “stay away from such activities in Punjab,” saying the people of the state value peace, unity, and brotherhood. He added that Punjabis are known for making sacrifices with love but would not tolerate attempts to disturb communal harmony.
The Chief Minister’s ‘Shukrana Yatra’ began on May 6 from Sri Anandpur Sahib and is being conducted across Punjab in support of the state government’s proposed anti-sacrilege law. On Friday, the yatra started from Bathinda and is scheduled to conclude the day in Sangrur after passing through several districts.
During the journey, Mann is also expected to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Mastuana Sahib in Sunam before heading towards Sri Fatehgarh Sahib on the next leg of the tour.
According to Bathinda Deputy Commissioner Rajesh Dhiman and SSP Dr. Jyoti Yadav Bains, the yatra began around 10 am from Bathinda’s Three Corners area. The procession is moving through Bathinda, Talwandi Sabo, Sardulgarh, Mansa, and Barnala districts.
Authorities also implemented a special traffic management plan along the route. In Bathinda, the yatra passed through Amrik Singh Road, Gol Diggi, Hanuman Chowk, the Bus Stand area, Kotshamir near Sushant City, and Bhagivandar before proceeding towards Takht Sri Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo.
