Chandigarh, Jan 14: The Union government has refused political clearance for Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Industries Minister Sanjeev Arora to visit the United Kingdom and Israel. The Aam Aadmi Party confirmed on Wednesday that the high-level delegation, which intended to solicit foreign investment for the state, was denied the necessary travel authorization for their scheduled February departure.
While the Chief Minister holds a diplomatic passport, senior state leaders must obtain mandatory political clearance from the Ministry of External Affairs for international travel. Party officials noted that the delegation, which included several state government officers, was unable to finalize travel dates due to the lack of federal approval.
The proposed one-week mission was designed as a strategic outreach effort ahead of the 6th Progressive Punjab Investors’ Summit, set to take place in Mohali from March 13-15, 2026. Despite the economic nature of the visit, AAP leaders stated that the central government provided no specific justification for the denial.
“The exact dates would have been finalised if clearance had been given. However, the Centre has denied the political clearance to the delegation. The reason has not been given,” said Baltej Pannu, Punjab AAP General Secretary and media incharge.
This incident marks a recurring point of contention between the state and the Centre. Party representatives noted that this is not an isolated case of restricted travel for the Chief Minister. In August 2024, the Centre similarly blocked Mann’s visit to the Paris Olympics, where he had planned to support the Indian hockey team during their quarterfinal matches.
