NEW DELHI, OCT 21: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann faced a three-hour detention at the Delhi airport and a financial penalty upon returning from an official visit abroad, according to senior Aam Aadmi Party representatives.
State AAP media in-charge Baltej Pannu maintained in a video statement that the Chief Minister was subjected to unnecessary delays and a challan of fifty thousand rupees following his arrival from Paris, where he had traveled to showcase regional products at an international food exhibition. Party officials asserted that airport personnel acted under severe directives from central authorities, citing tremendous pressure from higher offices.
Party representatives declared that the central administration consistently attempts to obstruct governance in Punjab. They maintained that previous foreign travel requests submitted by the Chief Minister faced repeated denials to hinder regional economic development and investment opportunities. Furthermore, leadership asserted that administrative protocols mandated by judicial directives were disregarded during the Paris trip, pointing to an alleged absence of diplomatic representation upon arrival.
Administration critics asserted that the episode reflects broader tensions regarding withheld financial allocations and the handling of agrarian demonstrations. Officials maintained that such actions demonstrate an adversarial stance toward the region and its cultural identity, urging a reassessment of federal cooperation.
