The never-ending cold war between Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has been taken up a notch yet again after the Governor made a sarcastic remark about the CM. Chief Minister Mann was notably absent from the ceremonial “At-Home” reception hosted by Purohit—who serves as both the Governor of Punjab and Administrator of UT Chandigarh—to mark the 77th Independence Day at the Punjab Raj Bhavan.
In a response to inquiries about the absence of the Chief Minister from the At-Home ceremony, the Governor in an informal interaction with the media said that invitations for the event had been extended to various dignitaries, including the Chief Minister of Punjab. “The Chief Minister’s office duly acknowledged the receipt of the invitation. The Chief Minister opted not to attend the ‘At Home’ function,” Governor Purohit said on Wednesday. “His decision is in line with his own discernment; the Chief Minister might have decided to forgo the event perhaps he is afraid of the ceremonial canons placed outside the Raj Bhawan,” he further quipped in a lighthearted manner. Purohit’s remarks seemed to reference the CM’s speech in the state Assembly in June this year, where he commented that the canons that had been installed outside the Raj Bhawan were to “scare people away.”
The At-Home ceremony at the Raj Bhawan—which is the Governor’s official residence—serves as an occasion for dignitaries from various walks of life to come together and strengthen ties, celebrating unity and collaboration. In addition to this exchange of sarcastic jibes, both the Governor and the Chief Minister were engaged in a “letter war” after Purohit claimed that the CM’s office had in contravention of a court order, not responded to his requests to stay apprised about the workings of the Mann government.
