Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday, 7 May 2025, sharply condemned Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for linking the twin IED blasts in Punjab to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing the Chief Minister of giving the incident a "political colour" to conceal what Puri called the state government's incompetence. The remarks came a day after two back-to-back explosions rocked the state, raising serious national security concerns.

The Twin Blasts: What Happened

Two explosions struck Punjab on Tuesday night within hours of each other. The first blast occurred at around 8 PM near the Border Security Force (BSF) headquarters in Jalandhar. The second detonated at approximately 10:50 PM near the boundary wall of the Khasa Army Camp in Amritsar. Investigators have confirmed both devices were improvised explosive devices (IEDs), dismissing early speculation that the first incident was a vehicle fire.

DGP Points to ISI; CM Mann Calls Blasts 'Minor'

Punjab's Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav stated on Wednesday that Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) appears to be attempting to destabilise the state ahead of the first anniversary of 'Operation Sindoor'. The Khalistan Liberation Army has reportedly claimed responsibility for the Jalandhar attack, according to social media posts flagged by Minister Puri.

In stark contrast, Chief Minister Mann described the blasts as "minor" and alleged they were part of the BJP's efforts to "instigate violence" ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections. Mann, who also holds the portfolio of Home Minister of the state, did not address the DGP's assessment in his public remarks.

Puri's Condemnation: 'Unbelievable and Regrettable'

Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Minister Puri called Mann's characterisation of the blasts "unbelievable" and urged him to withdraw the statement. "Punjab is not only a sensitive border state, but it also has a history of suffering from cross-border violence. Our western neighbour has been using terror as an instrument of state policy and has been exporting terror," Puri said.

Puri was particularly critical of Mann's use of the word "minor" to describe the explosions. "It is all the more regrettable that the Chief Minister of Punjab, Bhagwant Mann, is presenting a strange interpretation of it... He said that the blast was 'minor.' He used that word — minor. And he also suggested that perhaps it was the BJP who caused the blast. So, 'surprise' is too mild a term. It is unbelievable," Puri said.

Highlighting the internal contradiction within the Punjab government, Puri pointed out that Mann's own DGP had publicly attributed the attacks to cross-border, ISI-sponsored actors. "The Chief Minister is also the Home Minister of that state, but his own Director General of Police, Yadav, is clearly saying that this is a cross-border, ISI-sponsored and fuelled action," he said.

Political Context and Accountability

Puri also referenced recent electoral developments, noting BJP's momentum in West Bengal, while stressing that terrorism must transcend partisan considerations. "This terrorist violence is much bigger than party politics. This concerns the country. And especially in sensitive border states like Punjab," he added.

The Union Minister squarely placed responsibility on the state government. "It is the responsibility of the state to maintain law and order, especially in the border state, where there is a history of cross-border terrorism. He is giving political colouring to his own incompetence," Puri said, adding that Mann "will have to answer to the public."

Puri expressed doubt that Mann would heed the call to retract his remarks, saying, "I hope he has the wisdom or political maturity to withdraw what he has said. Although I do not expect this from him." With the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor approaching, security agencies are expected to remain on heightened alert across Punjab's border districts.