Bharatiya Janata Party leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa launched a sharp attack on Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over his visit to Paris on his birthday, accusing him of neglecting the state's worsening drug menace and law-and-order situation. Sirsa questioned Mann's decision to travel abroad amid tensions in Mansa following the killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota and accused the Aam Aadmi Party government of failing to prioritise Punjab's pressing concerns.
In a video message, Sirsa alleged that Punjab was burning while drug smugglers targeted anti-drug activists in broad daylight and the chief minister traveled to Paris along with his wife to celebrate his birthday. The BJP leader questioned the purpose of the visit, alleging that Mann was using MARKFED's participation in an international food exhibition to justify his travel, and claimed that neither the French government had invited Mann nor had the Centre initially granted political clearance for the trip.
Sirsa also raised questions over the financial and administrative aspects of the journey, asking whether the Paris visit was an official engagement or a birthday getaway funded by taxpayers. He questioned why the chief minister's wife was part of the official delegation and whether Punjab's taxpayers should bear the cost, while also demanding clarity on the formal invitation for the trip and the necessity of Mann's presence for MARKFED's participation in SIAL Paris 2026.
The political friction came shortly after the Punjab and Haryana High Court allowed the state government's plea challenging the Centre's decision to deny political clearance for Mann's visit to France. The trip is connected to the Punjab State Cooperative Supply and Marketing Federation Ltd taking part in the international food trade exhibition. While the state government argued that the Centre's decision was arbitrary and that MARKFED would bear the entire expenditure, the Centre had initially cited security concerns and the absence of an invitation.
Speaking to reporters in Phillaur, Mann welcomed the court's decision and questioned why he had to approach the judiciary to travel for official engagements connected with the state's interests. The controversy unfolds amid mounting pressure on the Punjab government over alleged drug-related violence, including the killings of Parvinder Singh Jhota and Bikramjit Singh, as well as the suspected suicide of Gulzar Singh.
The Union Home Ministry has sought detailed reports from the state regarding these incidents and an action-taken report on its Vision Document on Narcotics Control. With the High Court clearing the chief minister's visit and the opposition intensifying its criticism over the administration's handling of the drug problem, the political confrontation between the BJP and the ruling AAP government continues to escalate.