Punjab CM Mann to skip Guv Purohit’s farewell today, will attend INDIA bloc protest in Delhi

Purohit’s farewell is being organised by the government at the Raj Bhavan on Tuesday. Mann will skip the farewell, but will attend the swearing in ceremony of Kataria.

“CM Mann is in Delhi to participate in INDIA bloc protest. He has assigned Cabinet ministers Harpal Singh Cheema and Aman Arora to attend Purohit’s farewell. The two ministers will also be receiving Kataria when he arrives in Chandigarh,” said an official.

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh Monday said, “Congress, Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress, DMK, CPI, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Nationalist Congress Party – Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP), Shiv Sena (UBT) and Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation will attend the INDIA Bloc protest at Jantar Mantar. We are in talks with two to three more parties,” he said. He, however said the names of the leaders joining the rally at Jantar Mantar will be known on Tuesday.

Mann and Purohit had been on a confrontational path since July 2022, when the Governor visited the border areas of the state and made a statement that drugs were available freely in the state and had reached schools too.

The confrontation between the Raj Bhavan and the CM in Punjab had even reached Supreme Court in 2023, when the government had not got the budget session prorogued by the Governor. On the other hand Governor had refused to give his assent to four important Bills passed by the Assembly.

In August last year, the Governor had written to CM that he was contemplating sending a report to the President of India under Article 356. A state is brought under direct rule of the Centre with the invocation of Article 356, usually after a report is sent by the Governor.

Purohit, 83, had resigned on February 3 citing personal reasons. On March 7, however, he had stated that his resignation has not been accepted that he has been asked to continue. A day before his resignation was accepted, Purohit had said that he would be visiting border areas even if it left the CM “upset.”

As far as Kataria is concerned, Mann has said said he will welcome the new Governor and will work in coordination with him. Mann also said he respected Purohit but was not happy with his visits to the border districts. Purohit tried to create an “atmosphere of conflict,” he said.