Punjab CM Mann's 'one nation, one husband' remark sparks controversy; 'disgraceful', says BJP
Chandigarh(PTI): A political controversy erupted on Tuesday over Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's "one nation, one husband" remark, with the BJP accusing him of insulting the widows of those killed in the Pahalgam terror attack.
Mann Tuesday took a dig at the BJP over Operation Sindoor, accusing it of seeking votes in the name of 'sindoor' (vermillion) and asked if it had started a "one nation, one husband" scheme.
Calling Mann's remarks "disgraceful", Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu said the chief minister has "insulted" the widows of those killed in the Pahalgam attack and demanded an unconditional apology from him.
Mann made the remarks while talking to reporters after chairing a cabinet meeting here.
When asked about the BJP allegedly seeking votes in the name of Operation Sindoor for the Ludhiana West assembly bypoll, Mann said, "(They are) seeking votes in the name of sindoor. They have turned sindoor into a joke. Haven't you seen that?"
"If they come to your house (with sindoor), will you apply 'sindoor' in the name of Modi. Is it a 'one nation, one husband' scheme?" he asked.
The bypoll to Ludhiana West assembly seat in Punjab will take place on June 19.
Meanwhile, the Punjab BJP slammed Mann for his 'one nation, one husband' remarks, saying the chief minister has "crossed all limits".
"There is no BJP activity sending sindoor to every household. The term Operation Sindoor was used because terrorists were killing Hindu men after checking their religion -- sindoor was a marker they used to identify women," said BJP spokesperson Pritpal Singh Balliawal.
"This operation was about terrorism, martyrdom, and the protection of Indian lives. But how would Bhagwant Mann, a man with zero sensitivity, understand that? A man who mocks the Indian Army, insults Veer Naris, turns every sacred symbol into a joke...such a person will never understand the value of sindoor, which carries sacrifice, love. This isn't humour," said Balliawal in a post on X.
Earlier in the day, when Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring was asked by reporters here that the BJP is "seeking" votes in the name of Operation Sindoor, he said it should not happen that "the BJP starts distributing 'sindoor' door to door".
Warring said otherwise, the BJP people will face the ire of Punjabi women, asserting that applying 'sindoor' to a woman is the right of her husband only.
In a statement, Union minister Bittu lashed out at CM Mann for allegedly ridiculing Operation Sindoor. He alleged that Mann made a "cheap political commentary" on a sensitive national security issue.
"I never expected that Bhagwant Mann would stoop so low by mocking the widows of Pahalgam using the disgraceful phrase 'one nation, one husband'," Bittu said, referring to Mann's controversial remarks.
The Union minister also accused the ruling AAP in Punjab of politicizing the army's brave actions and undermining the sacrifices of soldiers and their families.
"The Indian Army carried out a commendable operation. But the decision to give them the green signal was taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a leader in whom the nation has complete faith," Bittu said.
He demanded an unconditional apology from Mann for his "crass" remarks.
"You may be a former comedian, but that does not give you the right to mock the widows of martyrs or the valour of our armed forces," Bittu said.
Under Operation Sindoor, the Indian armed forces carried out pre-dawn missile strikes on May 7 on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, including the Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold of Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba's base in Muridke, in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
