Bhagwant Mann’s ‘One Nation, One Husband’ Jab at BJP Over ‘Sindoor Politics’ Sparks Row
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of politicising sacred Indian traditions like ‘sindoor’ (vermilion) for electoral gains, particularly in connection with the recent ‘Operation Sindoor‘. Campaigning for the upcoming Ludhiana West Assembly bypolls, Mann quipped whether the BJP was now promoting a “One Nation, One Husband” scheme.
“What can we do about it? You are asking for votes in the name of sindoor. They have made a mockery of sindoor,” Mann stated, alluding to unconfirmed reports of a BJP ‘Ghar Ghar Sindoor Abhiyan’ where party workers allegedly distribute sindoor to households following the military operation. The BJP has officially denied launching any such drive.
“They are saying they will send sindoor to every household,” Mann continued. “If sindoor is sent to your home, will you put sindoor in Modi’s name? Is ‘One Nation, One Husband’ your new scheme?”
His remarks echoed those of senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, who had earlier denounced the alleged campaign as a “cheap political stunt.” Singh posted on X, “Do chutki sindoor ka mahatva aap kya jante hai Modiji?” (What do you know about the significance of two pinches of vermilion, Modiji?), a play on a famous Hindi movie dialogue. He further charged, “In Indian culture, women apply sindoor as a symbol of their husband’s long life, respect and well-being… But now, after pushing schemes like ‘One Nation, One Election’ and ‘One Nation, One Leader’, the Prime Minister appears to have launched ‘One Nation, One Husband’.”
The “One Nation, One Husband” jibe quickly sparked a political firestorm. The Kerala Congress unit joined the criticism by posting a satirical poster of PM Modi with the same caption, referencing a reported month-long sindoor outreach campaign allegedly beginning June 9.
The BJP reacted fiercely to Mann’s comments. BJP Punjab spokesperson Pritpal Singh Baliawal accused Mann of “crossing all limits” and “mocking Operation Sindoor,” which he clarified was a response to terrorists killing Hindus after identifying women by their sindoor. Baliawal called Mann’s remarks an insult to the Indian Army, ‘Veer Naris’ (wives of martyred soldiers), and sacred symbols, demanding his resignation. BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari termed Mann’s comments “anti-India in spirit.”
The BJP’s Chandigarh unit on X stated, “This isn’t satire. This is vulgarity dressed as leadership,” further explaining that Operation Sindoor was about “justice for the innocent, not a joke.” The BJP’s Karnataka unit also hit back at the Congress for its related social media post, accusing them of repeatedly insulting Hindus.
Operation Sindoor was India’s military retaliation on May 7 to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which resulted in the deaths of 26 tourists. Under the operation, Indian forces targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
The political sparring is taking place in the run-up to the Ludhiana West Assembly by-election, scheduled for June 19, with results to be declared on June 23. The bypoll was necessitated by the death of AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi.
