High drama unfolded outside the Cyber Crime Police Station in Phase-VII, Mohali, on Tuesday as senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Punjab Vidhan Sabha Partap Singh Bajwa was grilled by the Punjab Police for five and half hours questioning over his controversial remark that “50 bombs have reached Punjab”.

With an FIR already registered against him, Bajwa’s interrogation by the cyber cell sparked a full-blown political confrontation. Bajwa, who went inside the police station for questioning at around 2:30 pm, came out after 8 pm. As Bajwa remained inside the police station well into the night, senior Congress leaders and hundreds of workers continued to stage the massive protest outside, alleging “political vendetta” by the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Government.

Congress leaders — including Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, former Speaker Rana KP Singh, and veteran leader Brahm Mohindra — led the sit-in. Pillows and bedding were seen arriving late in the evening, signaling the Congress’ intent to carry on the protest overnight if Bajwa was not released.

As Bajwa went in for questioning, tensions outside escalated. Congress workers clashed verbally with police personnel and shouted slogans against the AAP Government, accusing it of dictatorial conduct.

Not far from the Congress dharna, AAP leaders including its state unit president and Cabinet Minister Aman Arora led a counter protest in Phase-II, raising slogans like “Congress ka haath, aatankwadiyon ke saath”.

Bajwa, who had recently told a news channel that “50 bombs have entered Punjab, of which 18 have exploded and 32 are yet to go off”, was summoned by Punjab Police after registration of an FIR against him under Sections 197(1)(d) and 353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, pertaining to spreading false information that could endanger national unity and incite hatred.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had called the remarks “baseless” and “irresponsible”, questioning Bajwa’s source of information and asking if he had connections in Pakistan. “If central and state intelligence agencies have no such input, where did Bajwa get this information from?” Mann had asked, sarcastically adding that instead of helping the police, Bajwa was now busy “looking for lawyers”.

In response, Bajwa had lashed out at Mann, saying that he could not be intimidated by such tactics. “My father gave his life for the nation, and I myself survived a bomb attack during the dark days of militancy. I am not one to back down,” he said before going in for questioning.

Bajwa further alleged that the police had refused to provide him a copy of the FIR, and he had to get it through court directions. “Has Mann ever issued such summons to those involved in drug trafficking or the ones who enabled Lawrence Bishnoi’s interviews from jail?” Bajwa asked.

At a meeting held earlier at Punjab Congress Bhawan, the party brass unanimously stood behind Bajwa, asserting that his statement was based on already reported grenade attacks across the State.

Leading the charge, Warring warned police officers not to bend under pressure from the AAP regime. “We will remember each and every official who persecutes Congress leaders. This isn’t just Bajwa’s fight — it’s the fight of Punjab Congress,” he declared, while citing a list of grenade incidents that have occurred in recent months.

Former Chief Minister Channi criticized Mann for not handling the issue with political maturity. “Instead of opening a dialogue with the Leader of Opposition, the CM chose to file an FIR. He should remember he’s not on a comedy stage anymore — he’s holding a constitutional post,” said Channi.

Former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Randhawa went a step further, challenging Mann to act on Gurpatwant Singh Pannu’s claim that he had funded the AAP’s campaigns in 2017 and 2022. “Why hasn't Mann ordered a probe into Pannu’s funding revelations? Why is Bajwa being targeted?” Randhawa questioned.

Bajwa Moved HC to Quash FIR

Earlier in the day, Bajwa filed a petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking quashing of the FIR, calling the charges “politically motivated”. His senior counsel APS Deol argued that the case had no legal standing and was an attempt to silence political opposition.

The unfolding events have now turned into a major political flashpoint in Punjab. While the Congress accused the AAP Government of using police for political vendetta, the AAP countered that irresponsible statements like Bajwa’s could incite fear and unrest in the border state.

Meanwhile, national Congress leaders — including party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi — are said to be in constant touch with the state unit and closely monitoring developments. “This is an attack on the opposition’s voice,” said a senior Congress functionary from Delhi.

AAP Stages Protest, Accuses Cong of Shielding Bajwa

AAP workers, led by state president and Cabinet Minister Aman Arora, on Tuesday staged a protest outside a police station in Mohali demanding action against the Congress MLA Bajwa over his controversial “50 bombs” remark. The protest came even as the Congress held a parallel sit-in alleging vendetta politics by the ruling AAP.

AAP protesters slammed the Congress for allegedly protecting Bajwa instead of holding him accountable. “He claimed on a national television channel that 50 bombs have entered Punjab—18 have been used, 32 are yet to be. When the Punjab Police asked for information, he didn’t cooperate. An FIR has been filed. The Congress is protesting to save Bajwa, not Punjab,” said Arora. AAP has demanded that Bajwa either explain his statement with credible evidence or apologize to the people of Punjab. “Congress must clarify — are they with Punjab or with those spreading terror?” he asked.

SAD, BJP Rally Behind Bajwa, Slam AAP

In a rare show of support, rival parties — Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — backed Congress leader Bajwa in the ongoing controversy. Lashing out at the AAP Government for political theatrics, both the parties accused AAP of diverting attention from its governance failures by targeting opposition voices.

SAD’s senior leader Daljit Singh Cheema launched a scathing attack on AAP over what it termed as “drama politics” after Punjab Cabinet Minister Aman Arora staged a dharna outside a police station demanding action against Bajwa. Ridiculing the protest, Cheema said: “If a minister needs to sit on a dharna to seek action from his own government, it shows there is no governance left in Punjab. The entire cabinet should resign.”

Calling the situation “emergency-like,” Cheema accused the AAP government of targeting opposition leaders to silence dissent. He questioned why Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had not issued a clear assurance on Punjab’s safety. “If Mann is confident no blasts will occur, let him publicly promise to resign if they do. Instead, he’s hiding behind an FIR,” said Cheema.

SAD alleged that instead of taking responsibility for maintaining law and order, AAP was busy orchestrating protests for headlines. “This is not just poor governance — it’s dangerous,” Cheema added, demanding accountability and immediate steps to restore public trust.

At the same time, Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar accused Chief Minister Mann and Congress leader Bajwa of playing a “fixed match” over “50 grenades” remark, warning that such “cheap politics” was pushing Punjab to the brink of chaos. “Both AAP and Congress are exploiting the issue to gain political mileage…Bajwa made the baseless remark to get noticed by the Congress high command. Mann latched onto it to divert attention from his government’s failures,” said Jakhar in a video statement.

Calling the situation a mockery of public concern, Jakhar said that the AAP regime’s theatrics only fueled fear and insecurity. “That the CM himself is fanning the fire shows how little he understands the responsibility of his office,” he added.

Jakhar assured Punjabis of the BJP-led Centre’s commitment to safeguarding the state’s hard-won peace. Referring to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent statement, he said, “PM Modi will not let anyone play with Punjab’s law and order.” He urged voters to hold AAP accountable in the upcoming Ludhiana West bypoll, and warned that Punjab could not afford the “gimmickry” of either AAP or Congress. “The BJP stands ready to restore order and stability,” Jakhar declared.