SANGRUR, MAY 20 — Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday accused the Union government of exploiting the geopolitical crisis in the Gulf to deflect attention from its own policy shortcomings, stating that the federal administration has left the country in financial disarray.
The Chief Minister made the remarks during a press interaction in Sangrur, where he was inaugurating a project to transition high-tension power lines underground. Mann focused heavily on the economic anxiety gripping the public, warning that fuel prices are poised to climb further because federal authorities remained preoccupied with electoral campaigns rather than governance.
“The Modi government has completely failed on Foreign and economic policy due to which the country is in disarray,” Mann affirmed. “The Prime Minister continues his foreign sojourns while appealing to the countrymen to refrain from it. In the last 14 years, the Prime Minister has never briefed the media, country or Parliament about the outcome of his several foreign trips.”
Mann expressed skepticism over federal calls for citizens to limit purchases of essential goods, arguing that no other country impacted by the global crisis has issued similar directives. He maintained that the Prime Minister’s appeals for public restraint contrast sharply with the visible opulence maintained by the highest levels of government.
The Chief Minister also targeted the broader strategic direction of the country’s leadership, alleging a substantial loss of independence in national decision-making. He remarked that federal policy is increasingly subordinated to foreign interests, shifting India’s standing from an independent global voice to a follower on the world stage.
Addressing the issue of corporate favoritism, Mann stated that federal foreign trips systematically benefit a small circle of preferred industrial partners. According to the Chief Minister, this dynamic widens domestic economic disparity, concentrating wealth among a few while the broader populace faces mounting financial hardships.
Responding to local political criticism, Mann characterized Punjab BJP leaders as institutional mouthpieces who replicate scripts provided by their central high command without understanding grassroots concerns. To reassure local farmers, the Chief Minister added that he had recently secured commitments from the Union Agriculture Minister regarding the full supply of required agricultural inputs for the state.
“I have already raised the issue of DAP with the Union Agriculture Minister and he has assured that the needs of Punjab will be fully catered,” Mann noted, addressing concerns over fertilizer availability.
The Chief Minister closed his remarks with a strong critique of federal enforcement agencies, describing the Enforcement Directorate, the Central Bureau of Investigation, and the Income Tax Department as functional extensions of the ruling party.
“These agencies are being misused by the Union government to arm-twist political opponents and make them join the saffron party for their vested interests,” Mann asserted, stating that the practice directly threatens democratic freedom.
