Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has criticised the BJP over a CBI search at the residence of his officer on special duty (OSD) Rajbir Singh Ghuman in Sangrur, alleging that central agencies are being used against political opponents ahead of elections.

Mann said the CBI action was an indication that elections were approaching and accused the BJP of using agencies such as the CBI and Enforcement Directorate against Opposition leaders or their associates.

“The CBI raid shows that elections have arrived,” Mann said.

The Punjab Chief Minister cited cases involving Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and leaders close to former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee while alleging that central agencies have been used ahead of elections. He also said Aam Aadmi Party leaders faced similar action before the Delhi Assembly elections.

Mann says CBI returned empty-handed

According to Mann, the CBI search at Gharachon village in Sangrur lasted nearly six hours.

The Chief Minister claimed that the agency “did not find anything” during the search and returned empty-handed. He alleged that the action was part of a BJP conspiracy to defame him and his government.

Mann also linked the CBI action to the BJP’s anti-drug campaign in Punjab and questioned the political impact of the campaign.

He alleged that the CBI action was politically motivated and intended to create a narrative against the AAP government ahead of upcoming elections.

CBI search at Mann aide’s house

Earlier, a CBI team searched the house of Mann’s OSD Rajbir Singh Ghuman in Gharachon village in Sangrur.

The search triggered a political confrontation involving the ruling AAP and Opposition parties. Representatives of Waris Punjab De and Akali Dal Punar Surjeet gathered in the village and welcomed the CBI team.

After the CBI vehicles left the area, people were seen beating dhols, performing bhangra and showering flower petals on the vehicles carrying the agency officials.

Sources cited in the report said the CBI was investigating allegations involving people accused of causing significant losses to Punjab and looting public money.

BJP hits back at Bhagwant Mann

BJP leader Tarun Chugh criticised the response to the CBI search, calling it an “extraordinary display of shamelessness”.

Taking a swipe at AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, Chugh said the time for political drama was over and that those responsible would have to answer for money allegedly stolen from the people of Punjab.

“Stop the drama. Let the investigation proceed and let the facts speak,” he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday reflected on his 25-year journey as head of government, recalling the lessons he learnt from major events including the Bhuj earthquake, the Chandrayaan mission and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Modi marked 25 years since he first took oath as Gujarat Chief Minister on October 7, 2001. He is now serving his third term as Prime Minister.

Addressing the ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Sabha’ organised by the BJP as part of the ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’, PM Modi expressed gratitude to the people of India, the BJP, the NDA and political colleagues for their trust.

“Seva hi dharm hai” (service is duty), the Prime Minister said, adding that he “lives for mission, not ambition”.

What PM Modi said about learning

Reflecting on his childhood in Vadnagar, PM Modi recalled how he used to be among the first students to reach school.

He said the eagerness to learn became a part of his life and that he continues to consider himself a student.

“I try to learn something new every day,” Modi said, adding that he had prayed that his ability to learn should never diminish.

He said that the more he learns, the greater his ability to do something for the country would become.

From Bhuj earthquake to Covid

Looking back at some of the major experiences of his journey, PM Modi said the Bhuj earthquake taught him to remain steadfast during reconstruction.

He also referred to Chandrayaan, saying the mission taught him to rise after failure.

On the Covid-19 pandemic, Modi said it made him understand the importance of the nation’s collective consciousness.

The Prime Minister linked these experiences to the broader lessons he has gathered during his years in public life.

PM Modi on the role of media

PM Modi also spoke about the media’s role in his journey, saying it provided him with inspiration through both bitter and sweet experiences.

He said the experiences of his journey had shown him the importance of bringing sensitivity into policymaking.

According to Modi, every village and every poor person taught him that resources may be limited, but dreams should be big and determination should remain strong.

“25 years of public trust” an asset for country

PM Modi said the trust of the people and their hard work had always been his greatest strength.

He also said that every citizen has the greatest right over him.

Reflecting on completing 25 consecutive years as the head of a government, Modi expressed gratitude to the people for choosing him as their leader and said that the responsibility towards the country was the greatest.

He described the experience and public trust accumulated over the 25 years as a valuable asset.

Modi said this asset did not belong only to him but belonged to the country, with every child of Mother India entitled to it.

The Prime Minister took oath as Gujarat Chief Minister on October 7, 2001. He remained in the post until 2014 before becoming Prime Minister. He is currently serving his third term as Prime Minister.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday slipped out of a bus in which they were detained by Delhi Police while they were on the INDIA Bloc’s march to the Election Commission office.

The two then waited a bit at the Akashvani Bhavan with other Congress leaders Deepender Hooda and Charanjit Channi and then went to the EC office to stage their protest. Hundreds of opposition party workers then laid siege to the EC office as part of their demand that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar tender his resignation for the procedural lapses that led to the EC going ahead with the Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls despite the other Election Commissioners not in agreement.

Gandhi then stood atop a barricade and waved the tricolour. He told reporters that at least 300 MPs want to meet Gyanesh Kumar but he is scared. He questioned if democracy had any meaning left if the Opposition MPs are not allowed to meet the CEC.

The last few days have seen student bodies lead protests and being barred from reaching Jantar Mantar. The situation was electric especially on Sunday.

Today, Opposition MPs started their march to the EC office on Ashoka Road from Parliament with many carrying banners and shouting slogans against CEC Gyanesh Kumar.  

At its meeting yesterday, the Congress decided to step up protests against the EC with a campaign at the block level from October 10 to 20. A rally is to be held at Ramlila Maidan on November 1 and more rallies will be held in areas surrounding Delhi on November 25 and 26, culminating in a Chalo Delhi march on November 26, the Constitution Day.

The protests today didn’t see participation from the DMK and the Aam Aadmi Party but other INDIA constituents were present in the march.