BJP using delimitation to eliminate its political opponents: Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann

Chandigarh: Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday said he discussed the delimitation issue with his Tamil Nadu counterpart MK Stalin, and the state was also examining what it would mean for Punjab.
Interacting with journalists on the sidelines of flagging off a batch of 72 teachers to Finland, Mann questioned the manner in which the delimitation process is being implemented in the country. He said it was unfortunate that the BJP-led Centre was trying to eliminate its political opponents through this faulty execution.
To another question on the delimitation issue, Mann said he spoke with the Tamil Nadu chief minister in the morning, and two DMK ministers would be coming over to discuss the issue. He added that the "undemocratic methodology" adopted by the Centre raised suspicions about the intent of the "BJP and its coterie." He said that tactically, the seats of states where BJP and its allies are weak are being reduced, whereas the seats in those states where BJP's divisive agenda is blooming are being enhanced. He said that all the like-minded parties will join hands against this repression of the Centre to muzzle democracy.
"We would first want to know how the number of Lok Sabha seats will change in different states. I have also asked our officers to examine the impact of delimitation in the case of Punjab. If they want to reduce the number of seats in Tamil Nadu on the plea that the population has gone down, does it mean you are going against the policy of population control? It could be their (BJP-led Centre) trick to reduce the number of seats in states where they don't win and increase the tally in their own states."
‘Attempts being made to disturb peace in Pb'
Asked about the blast that took place outside a temple in Amritsar in the early hours of Saturday, Mann said attempts were being made to disturb peace in Punjab. "On the festival of Holi, there were problems in other states, but there is harmony in Punjab. The state is safe on the law and order count. Being a border state, a number of forces inimical to the state have been chalking out nefarious designs to disturb the hard-earned peace of Punjab. The state police are well equipped with modern technology to foil such nefarious designs. In Moga, police managed to rescue a 7-year-old kidnapped boy within 24 hours on Thursday. Law and order is under control in the state."
‘70% dip in drone sightings'
Reacting to the Amritsar police hinting at a possible Pakistan connection, Mann said, "The drones come from across the border. The Border Security Force (BSF) informed us that ever since the state govt launched the campaign against drugs, there has been a 70% dip in drone sightings on the Indo-Pak border in the state. That is because there is no one to receive the consignments on this side. We assure people of the state that communal harmony will be maintained."
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