Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu clarified his statement referring to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann as an “ISI agent.” Bittu’s remark was in response to Mann accusing the BJP for twin explosions in Punjab, despite the Punjab DGP mentioning an ISI angle in the incident. Bittu accused Chief Minister Mann of endangering India and disrupting the Prime Minister’s work by being an “ISI agent.”
Two explosions occurred near the BJP office in Punjab, with additional blasts on railway tracks in Patiala. The incidents took place in Jalandhar and Amritsar on May 6, a day before the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor. Union Minister Bittu highlighted the severity of the situation, mentioning RPGs, grenades, and IEDs being used in Punjab.
Bittu emphasized that Chief Minister Mann, who holds the Home department portfolio, blamed the BJP for the blasts despite the Punjab DGP pointing towards ISI involvement. Referring to Mann as an ISI agent, Bittu accused him of aiding the ISI due to his accusations against the BJP. Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav had indicated Pakistan’s ISI involvement in disturbing the state’s situation following the twin explosions.
The National Investigation Agency also found ISI connections in the twin blasts in Punjab. The BJP initiated a defamation suit against CM Bhagwant Mann after he linked the party to the explosions. BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh issued a legal notice to the Chief Minister, demanding a retraction of his statement and a public apology within seven days. Punjab Congress Chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring criticized Minister Bittu for his “ISI agent” allegation against CM Mann.
