Jalandhar: The political battle between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over recent blasts in Punjab has taken a new turn, with the Congress party now targeting the Bhagwant Mann government over the 2017 Maur bomb blast case. The controversy erupted after AAP leaders invoked the Maur incident while attacking the BJP, prompting Congress leaders to accuse the AAP government of neglecting the investigation.
Background of the Controversy
The conflict began when Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann linked the BJP to the twin blasts that recently occurred in Punjab. This led to a heated exchange between the two parties. During a press conference on May 7, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh referred to the Maur blast, which took place days before the 2017 assembly elections and killed seven people, including four children. Singh stated, "Before the 2017 elections, when there was an SAD-BJP government, a similar blast at Maur took place. Nothing came out of that blast."
Congress Response
Congress leaders quickly seized on Singh's remarks, accusing the AAP government of failing to pursue the case despite being in power for over four years. Congress MLA Pargat Singh shared a video clip of Sanjay Singh on social media and highlighted that the investigation into the Maur blast had been initiated during the Congress regime and had linked the case to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim. Pargat Singh posted, "After coming to power, your party's government completely stalled that investigation. For the last four-and-a-half years, the Bhagwant Mann government, with the CM himself holding the home portfolio, has kept the probe frozen."
Further Criticism
Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira termed Sanjay Singh's remarks "misleading" and accused the AAP leadership of doing injustice to the blast victims. Former Deputy Chief Minister and Congress MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa also attacked the Mann government, alleging it had failed to deliver justice to the victims' families despite repeated assurances. Randhawa said, "All the main accused in the case, Gurtej Singh, Avtar Singh and Amrik Singh, are still far from police custody. The government has also failed to determine where the explosive material used in the blast was procured from."
Randhawa further claimed that although a Special Investigation Team (SIT) had included a relative of the Dera chief in the investigation in 2020, no further action was taken, and the Dera chief himself was never questioned in the case.
Political Implications
The renewed focus on the Maur blast case has added to the political tensions in Punjab, with the Congress seeking to embarrass the AAP government ahead of upcoming elections. The opposition party is demanding a thorough investigation and accountability from the Mann government.
