CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann broke down in tears during a televised interview on India Today TV when questioned about opposition allegations of corruption and claims of interference by AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal in the state’s governance.
Bhagwant Mann shedding tears after Kejriwal arrest in Delhi
Visibly emotional, Mann dismissed the charges as “baseless and politically motivated.” The anchor Preeti Choudhry, noticing his discomfort, offered him a glass of water. To lighten the atmosphere, she switched to a personal question, asking, “What does your daughter call you?” The query brought a smile back to Mann’s face. He fondly recalled that his younger daughter, Niyamat, usually calls him “Daddy” but once addressed him as “Maan Sahib, ” which left him amused.
Bhagwant Mann crying after hearing woes of 'fake' flood victim
Mann’s emotional display, however, has often drawn criticism. A video of him crying on the shoulder of a “fake” flood victim during recent floods had gone viral, prompting widespread trolling and allegations of shedding “crocodile tears.” The woman seen narrating tales of heavy flood losses to the media was later identified as an AAP worker from Ferozepur who had not been affected by the floods.
Denies reports of his replacement
Bhagwnat Mann claimed that there was no move to replace him as Chief Minister. He however evaded question about Kejriwal running the government.
He had also cried during a road show when Arvind Kejriwal sent to jail in a corruption case in Delhi. He was seen asking." What wrong is done by Arvind Kejriwal".
Mann addressed multiple issues
Bhagwant Mann addressed multiple issues concerning the state like drugs, corruption, damage due to floods in Punjab, which resulted in 56 casualties, impacted 20 lakh people, submerged over 2300 villages, and destroyed more than five lakh acres of crops, causing a loss of over 13800 Cr.
The controversy has been further stoked by remarks from Mann’s elder daughter Seerat Kaur Mann from his first marriage, who in a widely circulated video accused him of “fooling people by shedding tears in public to gain sympathy.” She alleged Mann emotionally blackmailed them when they were children and failed to understand his motives. Mann had divorced her first wife with two children. Seerat's comments have added to the opposition’s attacks, with the viral video fueling the political storm.
Link of full interviews