New Delhi/Chandigarh, 15 February 2025: The BJP has hit back at Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over his criticism of the Centre’s decision to land another plane carrying illegal Indian deportees at Amritsar airport.
Responding to Mann’s remarks, BJP leader RP Singh said the decision was purely logistical.
“Amritsar is the closest international airport for flights entering India from the USA. That’s why the plane is landing there. Stop politicizing the issue and promoting conspiracy theories due to your lack of knowledge,” Singh posted on X.
Mann, addressing the media in Amritsar on Friday evening, accused the BJP-led central government of deliberately targeting Punjab. “The Centre never misses a chance to defame Punjab. As part of a conspiracy, they are trying to malign Punjabis,” he said.
Questioning the rationale behind selecting Amritsar, Mann demanded answers from the Ministry of External Affairs. “What is the criterion for choosing Amritsar? Why not the national capital? This is being done to defame Punjab and Punjabis,” he said.
Mann also said the issue of deportation is being framed as a problem specific to Punjab. “Illegal migration is a national issue, but they are making it seem like only Punjabis migrate illegally,” he added.
The latest deportations follow the February 5 return of a group of illegal immigrants, most of whom were from Punjab. Many had attempted to reach the U.S. for a better future but were caught at the border and sent back in shackles. Several migrants from Punjab and other states, who took the hazardous “donkey route” or other illegal channels after paying large sums, now face deportation from the U.S.
The closest major international airport in India for flights arriving from the U.S. depends on the flight route and airline preferences. Typically, flights from the U.S. enter Indian airspace over the northwestern region, making New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) the primary point of entry.
Read More: Mann Slams Centre Over Deportation Flight to Amritsar
