Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is facing fresh pressure from the Opposition after the BJP demanded his resignation over serious allegations involving his wife, Dr Gurpreet Kaur.
The controversy centres on an allegation that Gurpreet Kaur demanded rs 5 crore in connection with an attempt to suppress a rape case. The allegation was made by retired Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Justice Ranjit Singh. Gurpreet Kaur has strongly denied the charge and has taken legal action against the former judge.
The issue gained wider attention after the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) took cognisance of a complaint related to the allegation. The commission has asked the Punjab Chief Secretary and Director General of Police to look into the matter and submit an Action Taken Report. The complaint has also been forwarded to the Union Home Ministry’s Women Safety Division.
The BJP has now stepped up its attack on Mann. BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia said the Chief Minister must explain the allegations and questioned whether Mann could continue in office if the charges were found to have merit.
The Congress has also joined the Opposition’s demand for answers. Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring has asked Mann to come forward and clarify the allegations instead of allowing doubts to grow around the matter.
Gurpreet Kaur, meanwhile, has rejected the allegations outright. She has sent a legal notice to Justice Ranjit Singh, asking him to respond within 24 hours and warning of further legal action.
The Aam Aadmi Party has defended her, calling the allegations baseless and politically motivated. The party has pointed to the legal notice as evidence that Gurpreet Kaur is prepared to challenge the accusations.
At this stage, it is important to note that the rs 5 crore claim is an allegation, not an established fact. No finding by an investigating agency or court has established that the alleged demand was actually made.
For Bhagwant Mann, however, the political damage has already begun. With both the BJP and Congress demanding answers and the NHRC seeking a report from the Punjab government, the controversy is likely to remain a major issue in the state’s political debate.
What happens next will depend largely on the inquiry and the evidence that emerges.
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