In a fiery retort during the Ludhiana West bypoll campaign, Punjab Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Bhagwant Mann lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for allegedly politicizing sentiments linked to women’s identity. Mann accused the BJP of trivializing the symbolism of sindoor—a traditional symbol of matrimony among Hindu women—while questioning the party’s latest outreach campaign branded as ‘Operation Sindoor.’
Speaking to the media, Mann sarcastically asked whether the saffron party was now promoting a “one nation, one husband” agenda under the garb of nationalism. “They are sending sindoor to every home. Will you now apply sindoor in Modi’s name? Is this what ‘Operation Sindoor’ means? They’ve turned this sacred symbol into a joke,” he said.
The controversy began after the BJP launched a nationwide campaign celebrating the government’s successful counter-terror operation dubbed Operation Sindoor—an assertive response to the recent Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 civilians. Although the campaign was designed to project national strength under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, it triggered debate when certain unverified reports surfaced suggesting the party was planning to send sindoor (vermilion) packets to households as a gesture of solidarity and symbolism.
However, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) of the Government of India quickly refuted these reports, calling them baseless and urging media outlets to refrain from circulating unverified claims.
Bhagwant Mann’s remarks have added fuel to the political fire ahead of the Ludhiana by-election. The Chief Minister also accused the BJP of exploiting religious symbols for political mileage while sidestepping core issues such as inflation, unemployment, and governance failures. Mann emphasized that Punjab’s electorate will not be swayed by emotional manipulation or symbolic campaigns lacking substance.
As the bypolls heat up, Mann’s biting satire and direct barbs against the BJP reflect the increasingly aggressive tone of the opposition amid what’s turning into a battle for narrative as much as for votes.
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This is a web-generated news report.
