Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann ignited a major political controversy on Tuesday, 3 June 2025, by making a controversial "one nation, one husband" remark while attacking the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over its Operation Sindoor campaign. The statement, delivered during a press interaction after a Cabinet meeting, drew swift and sharp condemnation from BJP leaders, particularly Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu, who called it a "cheap political commentary" and an insult to the widows of soldiers martyred in the Pahalgam terror attack.

The controversy emerged amid the Ludhiana West Assembly bypoll campaign, where Operation Sindoor has become a central theme of the BJP’s pitch to voters. Mann, referring to BJP’s campaign tactics, said,

“BJP is seeking votes in the name of sindoor. They have made a mockery of sindoor. They are sending sindoor to every home. Will you use it? Will you pass it on and say apply this sindoor in Modi’s name? Is it a one nation, one husband scheme?”

The remarks were made in response to a media query and have since dominated political discourse in Punjab, intensifying the already heated battle for the Ludhiana West seat, scheduled for polling on June 19, 2025. The BJP, which was the last major party to announce its candidate for the seat, has treated the by-election as a prestige contest against the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the state.

Ravneet Singh Bittu, Union Minister and BJP leader, lashed out at Mann’s comments, accusing him of trivialising a national security issue and mocking grieving war widows.

“I never expected that Bhagwant Mann would stoop so low by mocking the widows of Pahalgam using the disgraceful phrase ‘one nation, one husband’,” Bittu said.

Bittu went further, accusing the AAP of politicising the army’s bravery and undermining the sacrifices of Indian soldiers.

“The Indian Army carried out a commendable operation. But the decision to give them the green signal was taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a leader in whom the nation has complete faith,” he asserted.

He demanded that Mann issue an unconditional public apology for what he described as a crass, insensitive and irresponsible comment.

“You may be a former comedian, but that does not give you the right to mock the widows of martyrs or the valour of our armed forces,” Bittu said.

The Operation Sindoor campaign was launched by the BJP as a tribute to the sacrifices made by Indian soldiers and their families. It involves symbolic gestures such as the distribution of vermillion (sindoor) in remembrance of the martyrdom of soldiers, particularly in the wake of the recent Pahalgam terror attack.

Mann’s remarks have not only offended BJP leaders but have also stirred debates across social media and newsrooms, with many questioning whether the language used by the Chief Minister was appropriate for such a sensitive issue.

This latest incident adds another layer of political tension between the AAP and BJP, particularly in Punjab, where both parties are locked in a fierce political rivalry. The bypoll is being watched closely as a potential indicator of the political mood ahead of future electoral contests.

The Election Commission has so far not commented on the controversy, but political observers note that the episode might influence voter sentiment, either by consolidating sympathy for the BJP’s campaign or by drawing criticism towards the use of religious symbolism in politics.

As the campaign intensifies, both parties are expected to sharpen their rhetoric. However, with emotions running high over national security and the memory of fallen soldiers, this episode underscores the fine line between political strategy and public sentiment in Indian elections.

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