Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, accompanied by his family members, arrived in Patna on Monday to offer prayers at Takhat Shri Harimandir Ji Patna Sahib. This visit comes just weeks after the Punjab government enacted a stringent anti-sacrilege law concerning religious places in the state.
Prayers and Statements at Patna Sahib
After offering his respects at the birthplace of the 10th Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh, Mann spoke to reporters. He emphasized that ensuring the security and purity of religious sites in Punjab remains his government's top priority. He said, Our priority is to ensure security and purity of religious places in Punjab. I prayed for the success of the anti-sacrilege law, for prosperity and progress of Punjab and the country, and also for world peace.
Attack on BJP and Centre
Later, at the Patna airport, Mann launched a sharp critique of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the central government. He accused them of undermining democratic institutions through what he termed politics of poaching and engineering defections in opposition parties.
Concerns Over Electoral Rolls
Referring to the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls ahead of the Punjab assembly elections, Mann stressed the need to protect the rights of genuine voters. He stated, In democracy, people's rights are important, and protecting voters' rights is the responsibility of the government. We will not permit the deletion of names of genuine voters from the electoral roll in Punjab under any circumstances.
This visit underscores Mann's ongoing efforts to uphold religious sanctity and counter what he perceives as central overreach, while also addressing electoral integrity issues in Punjab.
