CHANDIGARH: Ashwani Sharma, the newly appointed working president of the Punjab BJP, launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, accusing him of running a "circus" instead of a government over the past three years and four months.
Sharma assumed charge on Sunday in the presence of BJP Punjab president Sunil Jakhar, union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu, National Secretary BJP Narinder Singh Raina, MP Rajya Sabha Sardar Satnam Singh Sandhu, Member Parliamentary Board Iqbal Singh Lalpura state general secretary (organization) Manthri Srinivasulu, former state presidents Manoranjan Kalia, Avinash Rai Khanna, Vijay Sampla, Shweat Malik, and thousands of party workers.
The event was also attended by ex union minister Maharani Parneet Kaur and Somprakash, ex deputy speaker lok sabha Charanjit Singh Atwal, ex vice chairman minority commission Sardar Manjit Singh Rai, former ministers Manpreet Badal, Tikshan Sood, Surjit Jayani, Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, Dinesh Babbu; ex-MP Sushil Rinku; and former MLAs K.D. Bhandari, Seema Devi, Sheetal Angural, Fateh Jang Bajwa, Arvind Khanna, Sarabjit Singh Makkar, and Ashwani Sekhri.
Sharma accused Mann of diverting Punjabis' attention from pressing issues by raising trivial matters—much like circus performers distract audiences from real-life challenges. He questioned why Mann, despite convening a special assembly session on sacrilege, had failed to deliver on Arvind Kejriwal’s January 12, 2022, promise of ensuring justice within 30 days in sacrilege cases, including Bargari, through fast-track courts.
Law and order in Punjab have deteriorated sharply, with gangsters operating with impunity. Traders face extortion threats, daylight murders occur, women’s jewelry is snatched in broad daylight, custodial deaths are reported, and fake encounter allegations arise. Yet, Sharma said, Mann remains preoccupied with his "circus" to evade accountability.
"Bhagwant Mann seems to have forgotten he is no longer a stage performer but holds a constitutional office—the Chief Ministership of Punjab, " Sharma remarked. He concluded with a stern warning: "The Punjab BJP will respond in the same language Mann uses—but four times louder, on the streets."