New Delhi

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday strongly criticised Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for alleging that the BJP was behind the recent explosions in the state, describing the remarks as “deeply regrettable.”

In an interaction with ANI, Puri expressed concern over what he termed an attempt to politicise a serious security issue. He urged the Punjab Chief Minister to adhere to the national approach of maintaining “zero tolerance” towards terrorism instead of attributing the incidents to party politics.

Referring to Punjab’s past, Puri highlighted the state’s vulnerability as a border region and pointed to a history of cross-border militancy. He alleged that Pakistan continues to employ terrorism as an instrument of state policy. He also mentioned that a group identifying itself as the Khalistan Liberation Army had claimed responsibility for the Jalandhar incident on social media, adding that such developments made the Chief Minister’s remarks more concerning.

The Union Minister further said that Punjab Police chief Gaurav Yadav had indicated the possibility of involvement by Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the ISI, in what he described as a planned operation ahead of a significant anniversary. In this context, Puri criticised Mann’s comments suggesting political motives behind the blasts.

He also linked the controversy to the broader political climate, stating that recent election outcomes in West Bengal had unsettled opposition parties. He called on Mann to reconsider and withdraw his statement.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann condemned the explosions in Amritsar and Jalandhar, but maintained that they were part of a larger strategy by the Bharatiya Janata Party to create unrest ahead of elections. He alleged that such incidents were aimed at spreading fear among the public.

According to reports, the first explosion occurred in Jalandhar when a scooter caught fire outside the Border Security Force headquarters around 8 pm. A few hours later, another blast was reported in the Khasa area near a cantonment in Amritsar, prompting an immediate response from security agencies.

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Authorities have launched a preliminary investigation into the incidents, and further details are awaited.