Chandigarh, 15 February 2025- Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has strongly criticized the Indian government for allowing a plane carrying deported Indian immigrants from the U.S. to land at Amritsar airport, calling it a deliberate attempt to tarnish Punjab’s global image.
Addressing a gathering in Amritsar, Mann questioned why the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) chose Amritsar for the flight when multiple airports were available across the country.
He claimed that the BJP-led central government was intentionally targeting Punjab, portraying it as a hub of illegal immigration.
Mann revealed he had raised concerns with the MEA and the Ministry of Home Affairs but received no satisfactory response. He noted that a similar flight had previously landed in Amritsar and that two more were scheduled without clear justification.
The Chief Minister accused the Centre of harboring bias against Punjabis, citing historical sacrifices made by Punjab in India’s freedom struggle.
He also questioned why, despite security concerns, a U.S. military aircraft was permitted to land in Amritsar when international flights requested by the state government were often denied.
Mann argued that illegal immigration is a national issue, not just a Punjab-specific problem. He criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for failing to protect Indian citizens’ rights, alleging that his foreign policy had led to Indians being deported in chains while he cultivated ties with former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Expressing disappointment, Mann said the Indian government should have ensured a dignified return for deported Indians, even arranging its own aircraft instead of subjecting them to humiliation.
He accused the Centre of conspiring against Punjabis, claiming that the BJP’s resentment toward the state’s resistance to its policies was driving such actions.
Read More: Two More Flights Carrying Deported Immigrants Arriving in Amritsar
