In a dramatic escalation of political tensions, Punjab BJP working president Ashwani Sharma has directly challenged Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to witness firsthand the alleged rampant illegal mining operations across Punjab's border districts.
Political Confrontation Intensifies
Ashwani Sharma launched a scathing attack on the Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab government, accusing them of providing safe haven to illegal mining mafias while hiding behind the pretext of flood relief measures. The BJP leader specifically targeted CM Mann's recent media interaction in Dinanagar where the chief minister had mocked Sharma for criticizing the government's 'jisda khet, usdi ret' policy.
The confrontation reached new heights on Thursday when Sharma posted a video clip of Mann's remarks on social media platform X, accompanied by a bold challenge to the chief minister. 'If you have the guts, sit in my car with me - I'll take you to Pathankot, Ferozepur, and Fazilka to show you the real situation,' Sharma declared in his post.
Flood Relief Policy Under Scanner
At the heart of the controversy lies the Punjab government's policy that allows flood-affected farmers to remove and sell sand and silt from their fields without requiring permits or no-objection certificates. While intended as a relief measure for farmers devastated by recent floods, Sharma alleges the policy has become a shield for widespread illegal mining operations.
'The Aam Aadmi Party, under the pretext of 'jisda khet, usdi ret', is shielding illegal mining and giving mafia a safe haven,' the BJP working president asserted. He further accused the chief minister of being disconnected from ground realities, stating that Mann has 'forgotten to step out onto Punjab's roads' while sitting in 'air-conditioned palaces' with Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.
Environmental and Security Concerns
Sharma emphasized the severe environmental consequences of unchecked mining activities, warning that the illegal operations have significantly increased flood risks across Punjab. 'I saw with my own eyes the scale of this illegal mining and how much the flood risk increased in Punjab because of it,' he revealed in his social media post.
The BJP leader specifically named three border districts - Pathankot, Ferozepur, and Fazilka - as hotspots of illegal mining activities. These regions, being strategically important border areas, raise additional concerns about security implications beyond environmental damage.
In his concluding remarks, Sharma issued a stern warning to the chief minister: 'Bhagwant Mann ji, don't take Punjabis for fools - they can clearly see how their sand is being looted.' The political showdown highlights growing tensions between the ruling AAP and opposition BJP in Punjab, with illegal mining emerging as a central issue of contention.
