The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday alleged that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was detained for three hours at Delhi airport upon his return from Paris and issued a challan of Rs 50,000, with officials purportedly telling him they were under “tremendous pressure from above”.
According to a PTI report, the party did not specify the reason for the alleged detention or the fine. Punjab AAP media in-charge Baltej Pannu accused the Centre of deliberately obstructing Mann's efforts to promote the state's products and attract investment through overseas visits.
In a statement, Pannu said Mann had travelled to Paris following an order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, but alleged that the Centre continued to create obstacles in the way of Punjab's progress.
Mann had visited Paris to promote Punjab's products at SIAL Paris 2026, an international food trade exhibition being held from October 17 to 21.
Pannu claimed the Centre had repeatedly denied permission for Mann's foreign visits and alleged that the latest incident was another instance of the Union government seeking to humiliate the Punjab chief minister.
“He (Mann) had gone there to launch Punjab's famous products at the world's second-largest food festival. The high court had clearly directed that Mann be accorded his due protocol, but such was the ill intent of the Centre that even the Consul General in Paris did not come to meet the chief minister,” Pannu alleged.
He claimed the alleged harassment continued after Mann returned from Paris and arrived at Delhi airport.
“When Mann returned from Paris and arrived at the Delhi airport, he was deliberately detained for three hours. Excuses were made that 'your luggage is still arriving' and 'your luggage is still being checked'. These were outright lies and an insult to Punjab,” Pannu said.
He alleged that officials approached Mann after he had been allowed to leave and was about to depart in a vehicle with his luggage.
“After three hours, when Mann was allowed to leave and was about to depart after placing his luggage in a vehicle, officials came running after him and said that they were under 'tremendous pressure from above',” Pannu claimed.
He further alleged that officials then issued a challan for Rs 50,000, arguing that their remarks indicated the action had been taken under instructions from senior authorities.
“Has any chief minister of an Indian state ever been detained at an airport for three hours in this manner? Has any chief minister of a state ever been disrespected by being issued a challan of Rs 50,000? This is happening solely because Mann is a Punjabi, is the Chief Minister of Punjab, and is working day and night for the betterment of Punjab,” Pannu said.
Pannu accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union government of repeatedly undermining Punjab and its people.
He cited the farmers' protests at Delhi's borders and the alleged withholding of funds due to Punjab as examples of what he described as the Centre's attempts to obstruct the state's progress.
Pannu also claimed that permission for Mann's foreign visits had been denied at least four times, alleging that the Centre feared the chief minister would attract investment and funding to Punjab through overseas engagements.
Mann travelled to Paris after the Punjab and Haryana High Court allowed a state government plea challenging the Centre's decision to deny him political clearance for the visit. The AAP government had described the denial as arbitrary.
Mann attended SIAL Paris 2026, the international food trade exhibition running from October 17 to 21.
(With inputs from PTI)
