CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Wednesday defended the use of a chartered flight by him to travel to Delhi, a day after the Opposition raised questions over it.
To a question on his visit to the national capital on a chartered flight on Tuesday, Channi asked reporters, "What is the problem if the son of a poor man boarded a jet?" However, he refused to reply to a question on whether the government will foot the bill.
Channi was in Jalandhar where he was asked about his visit to Delhi by reporters.
The chief minister, along with his deputies Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, OP Soni and Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, went to Delhi on a chartered flight on Tuesday to discuss the expansion of the new Punjab cabinet with the party's central leadership.
Sidhu uploaded a photo of him with Channi and Randhawa standing next to the chartered plane.
The Congress leaders drew flak from the Opposition for travelling to Delhi on a chartered flight.
Taking a swipe at them, the Shiromani Akali Dal said Congress leaders opt for "private jets for travelling just 250 km to Delhi", while the Aam Aadmi Party said the grand old party has not been able to "give up its royal habits".
Raveen Thukral, media advisor to former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh, also took potshots at the Congress leaders for travelling to Delhi on a chartered flight.