CHANDIGARH: Controversy erupted on Monday over Bhagwant Mann’s delayed return from Germany, with Opposition Congress and SAD saying the Punjab Chief Minister was deplaned in Frankfurt airport as he was in an “inebriated state” and the AAP citing “health issues” as the reason.
Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly and senior Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa demanded Mann’s resignation over his “deplaning” by Lufthansa at Frankfurt airport and asked for a probe by the Union Civil Aviation Ministry.
In a series of tweets, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said: “Shockingly, Punjab government is mum over these reports involving their CM. Arvind Kejriwal needs to come clean on this. Govt of India must step in as this involves Punjabi & national pride. If he was deplaned, GoI must raise the issue with its German counterpart.’’
However, AAP Punjab spokesperson Malwinder Singh Kang said, “These are rumours to defame the CM. He was not deplaned in Germany; he came back as per schedule, which was with us. He was to land in Delhi on Sunday night, which he did. Our opponents cannot digest the fact that Mann is working hard to get investment in Punjab.”
An official who accompanied Mann in Germany said. “The CM delayed his departure as he was unwell due to the hectic schedule following back-to-back meetings.” Due to his delayed return, Mann could not attend AAP’s first conclave in Delhi on Sunday. Mann’s week-long trip to Germany was aimed at seeking investment for the state.