The Opposition’s criticism of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over his “private” foreign trip to Australia has intensified, with several leaders accusing him of neglecting critical state issues while on vacation. Amid the ongoing farmers’ protests and a spate of bomb blasts, the CM’s absence has sparked outrage.

Mann, accompanied by his wife Dr. Gurpreet Kaur, security chief ADGP AK Pandey, and Additional Principal Secretary Varjeet Walia, departed for Australia on Tuesday evening. Government sources have confirmed that the trip is personal, though the presence of sports department officials has fueled speculation about Mann’s possible attendance at a Pro Kabaddi League match in Melbourne on December 28 and his potential to watch India play Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Test series.

The Opposition quickly seized on the news, accusing Mann of abandoning the state while it faced multiple crises. Senior Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa, Leader of the Opposition, highlighted the grave situation in Punjab, with recent bomb blasts shaking border districts and drawing attention to the law and order crisis. He also pointed out the ongoing hunger strike by farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, which has entered its 30th day, as a critical issue requiring the CM’s attention.

Bajwa expressed his dismay over the Centre’s new National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing, which he and others fear could dismantle Punjab’s mandi system. He questioned how Mann could prioritize a cricket match abroad while such significant matters affecting the livelihoods of farmers were at stake.

In addition to the Congress, other political parties have weighed in. Punjab Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian condemned the new agricultural policy as an attack on the state’s agrarian structure, warning that Mann’s absence could delay the state’s response to the issue. The BJP’s Sunil Kumar Jakhar also criticized the CM for leaving Punjab during a time of heightened tensions over farmers’ protests.

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) condemned Mann’s holiday during the sacred Shaheedi fortnight, a period when Sikhs across Punjab mark the sacrifice of Guru Gobind Singh’s family. SAD spokesperson Arshdeep Singh Kler called Mann’s decision to vacation abroad during such a significant time “shocking” and “shameful,” adding that the CM had failed to address the concerns of the protesting farmers.

Though AAP has yet to release an official response, an unnamed party leader defended Mann’s decision, stating there was no issue with him spending time with his family and asserting that if there had been concerns, national convener Arvind Kejriwal would have intervened.

Critics have also pointed to the unusually low number of Cabinet meetings held in Punjab this year, as the state was under the model code of conduct for various elections, but only five Cabinet meetings were held. This has further fueled concerns over the government’s functioning during a critical period for the state.