In yet another dramatic turn of events, Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu was once again denied a meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann at his official residence in Chandigarh on Thursday— marking the third unsuccessful attempt by Bittu in the last 10 days to seek an audience with the Punjab CM.
After being turned away, Bittu took to social media to express his frustration, stating that despite multiple attempts — both direct and through the media —Punjab Chief Minister had refused to meet him. “For the past 10 days, I have been trying to meet Bhagwant Mann, but he lacks the courage to face me. If he dares to act against my supporters, he should also have the courage to speak with me,” Bittu remarked.
The latest standoff occurred on Thursday when Bittu arrived at the CM’s official residence unannounced. However, security personnel denied him entry, leading to a tense exchange between his security team and Chandigarh Police officers. Frustrated over the repeated refusals, Bittu accused the Chief Minister of deliberately avoiding him.
“The Chief Minister, who claims to be the leader of Punjab and its people, is hiding inside his residence instead of facing me,” he alleged. Bittu also reiterated that he wanted to confront Mann over what he called ‘false cases’ against his supporters, which he claims were filed to intimidate his political base.
A Repeat of Wednesday’s Drama
This incident comes just a day after a similar confrontation on Wednesday, when Bittu and his convoy were stopped at the gates of the Chief Minister’s residence. The situation escalated when security personnel blocked his entry, leading to verbal altercations and physical jostling between Bittu’s team and the police.
According to eyewitness accounts, police officials asked Bittu for official permission to meet the Chief Minister, which he reportedly did not have. In response, the Union Minister accused the authorities of obstructing his rights and disrespecting his position. “I came alone, yet they hurled abuses at me. If they want to arrest me, they can go ahead,” Bittu challenged, while also submitting a formal complaint to the Chandigarh DGP regarding the police’s alleged misconduct.
Videos circulating on social media capture the heated moments, including police officers stating that Bittu’s convoy had blocked the road, leading to an altercation between his driver and law enforcement. His security team argued that as a Union Minister with Home Ministry-assigned security, leaving him alone outside the CM’s residence would pose a safety risk.
A police officer in the video is heard telling Bittu’s team, “You do your duty, and let us do ours. You cannot block the way like this.” Meanwhile, DSP Udaypal of Chandigarh Police clarified that Bittu had no official permission to meet the CM, which is why his entry was denied.
The ongoing friction between Bittu and CM Mann stems from multiple political and administrative issues. Punjab CM had previously invited leaders from all political parties for an open debate on Punjab’s key issues in Ludhiana. While arrangements were made for opposition leaders, no one showed up.
Bittu, however, claimed that Mann frequently challenges opposition leaders to debates but refuses to meet them when they seek a one-on-one discussion. He also accused the Punjab Government of targeting his supporters with ‘fabricated cases’ to suppress dissent.