Bhagwant Mann

A political war has erupted as Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann alleged BJP's involvement in twin blasts in Punjab, while the saffron party leaders criticised the state government for its handling of cross-border threats.

The Punjab Assembly faced significant disruption as opposition parties, including Congress, BJP, and Shiromani Akali Dal, accused Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of attending a special Labour Day session while intoxicated.

This broadcast analyses the Tamil Nadu and Kerala assembly election exit polls and decodes what to expect on the Verdict Day on May 4.

The Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker has rejected the opposition's demand to conduct a dope or alcohol test on the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

Opposition parties, including the BJP, Congress, and Akali Dal, have united to protest against the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, accusing the state head of attending the legislative assembly in an intoxicated state.

In an interview with India Today Consulting Editor Rajdeep Sardesai, Rajya Sabha MP Vikramjit Singh Sahney discussed his decision to leave the Aam Aadmi Party and join the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh accused the Bharatiya Janata Party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Amit Shah of orchestrating 'Operation Lotus' to destabilise the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government.

In this episode of 5 Live, the focus is on the law and order situation in Punjab following the killing of two police personnel in Gurdaspur near the Pakistan border.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) sarpanch Harbinder Singh was shot dead during a wedding function in Punjab's Tarn Taran district.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Lucky Oberoi was shot dead in broad daylight outside gurdwara in Jalandhar's Model Town.

On this Special Report, senior Punjab BJP leader and Vice President Fateh Jung Bajwa discusses the delegation's meeting with Governor Gulabchand Kataria regarding the deteriorating state of Punjab. Bajwa states, 'Today Punjab is burning,' highlighting critical concerns over the rise of gangsters, extortion threats to businessmen and artists, and the rampant drug menace. He specifically accuses the state government of attempting to 'gag the voice of the press' by filing FIRs against major media houses like the Punjab Kesari group and Ajit newspaper. Bajwa criticises Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's recent meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, suggesting the CM failed to effectively address Punjab's security crisis. The leader further notes that the Governor has expressed deep concern and is communicating the situation to the Central Government. The report explores the BJP's demand for central intervention to restore law and order and protect democratic institutions in the state.

On this Special Report, India Today exposes critical loopholes in the Ayushman Bharat scheme. Senior Editor Kamaljeet Sandhu reports from Chandigarh on the ground reality, where hospitals are turning away patients and demanding cash. Punjab Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh addresses the sting operation, promising an investigation by anti-fraud teams and highlighting the new 'Mukhya Mantri Sehat Scheme' to double health cover. The programme explores the gaps in healthcare delivery and the government's response.

In a shocking incident caught on CCTV, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Sarpanch Jarnail Singh was shot dead by unidentified assailants at the Marigold Marriage Palace in Amritsar. Reporting on the 'dastardly acts', India Today's Kamaljeet Sandhu reveals that the victim, who hailed from Tarn Taran district, was attacked by two unmasked men inside the venue. While the Punjab Police highlights that the state's crime rate is half the national average, the opposition has launched a sharp attack on the government's handling of law and order. The investigation is currently probing links to organized crime and terror-gangster networks.

In this special report, India Today's Principal Correspondent Aman Bhardwaj details the shocking murder of Kabaddi player Kanwar Digvijay Singh, alias Rana Balachauria, in Mohali. The player was shot dead by bike-borne assailants at a tournament ground in Sector 79. Bhardwaj highlights that the Bambiha gang has claimed responsibility for the attack, citing it as revenge for the murder of Sidhu Moose Wala. The report also addresses the political fallout, with opposition parties questioning the law and order situation under the AAP government.

In UnPolitics with Preeti Podcast with Preeti Chaudhary, former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh confirms his return to active politics, declaring he is "back in the game" for the 2027 elections. The BJP leader firmly rules out any possibility of rejoining the Congress, reflecting on his departure and his relationship with the Gandhi family. The veteran politician shares never-before-heard anecdotes, including a meeting with Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and a humorous exchange with the late Arun Jaitley, while advising the BJP to form an alliance with the Akali Dal for future electoral success.

This special report covers the political controversy over the Central Government's proposal to bring the Union Territory of Chandigarh under Article 240 of the Constitution. The issue has drawn strong opposition from Punjab, with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann accusing the NDA government of attempting to undermine Punjab's claim to the city. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann asserted, 'Chandigarh was, is and will remain, always remain, part of Punjab'. The report explains that including Chandigarh under Article 240 would grant the President of India the power to govern the territory through a Lieutenant Governor, who would also be the Administrator. This could curtail the authority of the Punjab and Haryana governments over their shared capital, making the Centre the ultimate custodian of Chandigarh.

This special report examines the implications of potentially applying Article 250 to the union territory of Chandigarh. The analysis explores how this could empower the President to govern through a Lieutenant Governor (LG), making the LG the official administrator with control over key decisions, similar to the structure in Delhi and Puducherry. According to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, there is a concern 'that our laws could be fiddled with and that Centre could come and try and control that'. The report details how this shift could curtail the administrative powers of the elected governments of Punjab and Haryana over their shared capital and make the Centre the ultimate custodian of Chandigarh.

This special report focuses on the political firestorm in Punjab involving Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's government and the BJP. The controversy erupted over an order deploying police to guard the Chief Minister's shoes, which the BJP, through spokesperson Anil Sarin, has slammed as the 'height of hypocrisy' while questioning the state's law and order. Sarin stated, 'This is a solid state of affair and that to a Chief Minister who calls himself to be a representative of Aam Aadmi Party, the height of an epochal nonsense on their part.' The BJP contrasts this with serious crimes, including the recent shooting of a kabaddi player in Jagraon. The Aam Aadmi Party government and CM Mann have retorted, claiming the opposition is manufacturing issues about 'slippers and shoes' because they cannot allege corruption. Anil Sarin countered this by referencing a recent corruption case and questioning AAP's unfulfilled pre-poll promises on curbing illegal mining and corruption.

This special report focuses on the escalating crisis of farm fires in Punjab and its severe impact on the air quality in Delhi-NCR, which remains in the 'very poor' category. The core of the issue is whether the Punjab government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, has been effective in controlling the stubble burning, with questions arising as my colleague asks, 'if the Maan government has failed to douse the stubble fire'. Despite government actions, including imposing penalties worth lakhs and registering hundreds of FIRs against farmers, farm fire incidents continue to surge, particularly in hotspots like Tarantaran and Amritsar. The report examines the reasons behind the persistent stubble burning, the adequacy of the government's response, and the grim environmental consequences for the entire region as a thick layer of smog engulfs the national capital.

The focus is on the political storm following the death of Haryana IPS officer Y Puran Kumar, with a Special Investigation Team (SIT) now probing the case. Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has assured that the guilty will face strict action, while Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has met the deceased's family. After meeting the family, Bhagwant Mann alleged that 'the entire episode is a targeted attack on the Dalit community'. The officer's wife, an IAS officer, has expressed dissatisfaction with the FIR, and the family has alleged the officer's body was moved without their consent.