No Recoveries During CBI Raids, BJP Following Bengal Pattern, But We Won’t Succumb: Bhagwant Mann

Reacting to CBI raids at eight locations, including his Camp Office, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday claimed that no recoveries were made during the searches and accused the BJP of following a pattern it had used against opposition parties in several states.

Mann said the raids were an indication that elections in Punjab could be approaching. Claiming that the CBI had found nothing during the searches, he said the central agency had effectively given them a “clean chit”.

Addressing media persons here, Mann alleged that the BJP was following the same pattern witnessed in West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Delhi and Haryana, where, according to him, opposition leaders were targeted through agencies such as the CBI, Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax Department.

He also alleged that the Election Commission of India had been used against opposition parties.

“After the elections are over in these states, the ED, CBI and Income Tax authorities disappear,” Mann said.

The Chief Minister said the BJP had made its intentions regarding Punjab clear when its leaders coined the slogan, “Bengal Mein Sarkar Hamari Hai, Ab Punjab Ki Baari Hai.”

Referring to the searches, Mann said the CBI had conducted raids at several locations for hours but found nothing.

“They should tell whether anything has been found. They might have, by now, told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that nothing has been found and it is not worth wasting time in Punjab,” Mann said.

He pointed out that the CBI conducted the searches within 24 hours of the Punjab and Haryana High Court order. Mann said the state government had already approached the Supreme Court seeking justice on the issue.

The Chief Minister alleged that the raids were aimed at bringing a bad name to him, his office, his family and his party.

He further claimed that the action came after the BJP gauged the response to its anti-drug yatra across Punjab and Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s rally in Jalandhar.

Questioning the BJP over its anti-drug campaign in Punjab, Mann said drugs were entering the state through Gujarat via Rajasthan.

He also pointed out that the Border Security Force now has jurisdiction up to 50 km from the international border in Punjab and questioned what the Union Government was doing to check the flow of drugs.

Mann said his government and party were prepared to face such actions and would not succumb to pressure.