Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has found himself at the center of a major political storm after his controversial remarks mocking Operation Sindoor, drawing strong condemnation from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders who accused him of insulting the armed forces and trivializing a serious anti-terror operation.
During a press conference earlier this week, CM Mann made a quip about the BJP’s alleged plan to distribute sindoor (vermilion) to households, asking, “Will you wear sindoor in Modi’s name?” He further added, “Is this the One Nation, One Husband scheme?”
The remarks, laced with sarcasm, immediately triggered backlash on social media and within political circles. The phrase “One Nation, One Husband” went viral and was slammed as being disrespectful to the symbolism of sindoor and the seriousness of Operation Sindoor — a military response launched after a deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.
BJP Punjab spokesperson Pritpal Singh Baliawal posted a clip of Mann’s statement on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “Bhagwant Mann crosses all limits! Mocking Operation Sindoor, he shamelessly asks: ‘Will you wear sindoor in Modi’s name?’ This is an insult to Veer Naris, to Hindu culture, and to the Indian Army.”
Baliawal emphasized that Operation Sindoor was launched in response to terrorists selectively killing Hindu civilians based on religious identity, with sindoor being a visual indicator of that identity in women. He called the Chief Minister’s comments “insensitive and politically irresponsible.”
Calling for Mann’s resignation, Baliawal added, “This is not just a political issue; this is about national pride. A Chief Minister cannot speak this lightly about our soldiers and sacred symbols.”
National BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari echoed the outrage, stating, “Shameful! Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann ridicules Operation Sindoor. Once again, the opposition shows its true face — disrespecting our armed forces and belittling a successful military operation. If this isn’t anti-India in spirit, then what is?”
While CM Mann’s office has yet to officially respond to the criticism, sources within the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) suggest that the statement was meant as satire aimed at the BJP’s style of campaigning but has been “misconstrued and blown out of proportion.”
