‘Fake turbans’ vs ‘insult to Gurus, people’: Bhagwant Mann, Nayab Saini trade barbs

CHANDIGARH: Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann and his Haryana counterpart, Nayab Singh Saini, traded barbs over the turban at separate press conferences on Monday.It all began when Mann, during a presser, sought to suggest that Saini had a "ready-to-wear turban" in his car which he put on for visits to Punjab, while emphasising that Saini could not win hearts of Punjabis by placing “fake turbans (nakli pagaan)” on his head.In the evening, during a press conference at Punjab BJP headquarters, Saini termed Mann’s remarks “nakli pagg (fake turban)” “an insult to the people of Punjab” and asked Mann to apologise to the people and the Sikh Gurus, who adorned the dastaar (turban).Earlier in the day, Mann said, “Saini sahib doesn’t really understand these things. They simply put a turban on him and send him here. He thinks that once the photo is taken, the job is done.”Taking the swipe further, Mann said, “He keeps a turban in his car. Sometimes, he is in Panchkula and comes to Punjab wearing that turban. Ona nu eh lagda ki edan nakli pagaan dhar ke shaayad Punjabiyan da dil jit lainge. Edan ho nai sakda (He thinks that by placing these fake turbans, perhaps they will win the hearts of Punjabis. That won’t happen).”Reacting to it, Saini called Mann’s statement “extremely unfortunate” and hit back. "The turban is a symbol of respect for the Gurus. It represents a person’s self-respect and dignity. The Gurus placed this dastaar on their heads. If Mann sahib is calling it a ‘fake turban’, he should go to that sacred place where the Gurus adorned this dastaar and apologise. He should apologise to the people of Punjab as well. The sangat is considered the Guru itself and if he has called it a ‘fake turban’, then he has insulted the people of Punjab. He should apologise to the people of Punjab,” he added.Saini has been a frequent visitor to Punjab, highlighting the works carried out by BJP-ruled Haryana and simultaneously slamming AAP’s governance in Punjab. Promising to replicate the Haryana governance model in Punjab while seeking support for BJP, Saini has been urging people to bring “a double engine” govt in Punjab in the 2027 elections.On Monday, Saini was late by an hour and a half to a scheduled news conference at Punjab BJP headquarters in Chandigarh in connection with the joining of Major Bhupinder Singh Dhillon, a relative of former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal. He apologised to the waiting media and said he got late for the news conference due to an event in Delhi. Major Dhillon, who served as political secretary to former CM Badal, eventually joined BJP, in the presence of Saini, Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon and other party leadership. Responding to a question on the possibility of an alliance with the SAD, Saini said, “Our alliance is with the people of Punjab.”You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Chandigarh | Silver Rate in Chandigarh | Bank Holidays in Chandigarh | Public Holidays in Chandigarh | Chandigarh AQI | Weather in Chandigarh | Petrol Price in Chandigarh | Diesel Price in Chandigarh | CNG Price in Chandigarh | LPG Price in ChandigarhStay updated with the latest Chandigarh news. Download the TOI App.