CM vehemently opposes move of GOI to again land plane at Amritsar

Chandigarh: Vehemently opposing the move of Government of India to land plane carrying deported Indians at Amritsar airport, the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Friday described it as a conspiracy of Union government to defame Punjab and Punjabis.

Interacting with the media persons here today, the Chief Minister said that despite Punjab being food bowl and sword arm of India, BJP led government has started a tirade to defame the state. He said that the move to land plane carrying deported Indians from US in Amritsar is just another attempt of the Government of India to tarnish the image of Punjab globally. Bhagwant Singh Mann questioned the move of MEA to choose Amritsar for landing these planes here whereas there are hundreds of other airports in the country.

The Chief Minister said that he has already raised this issue with the MEA and MHA but has not received any positive response from them. He said that one plane had landed a few days back and now two more planes are being landed without any proper justification. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that Punjabis are being targeted because Prime Minister and his party does not like them despite the fact that more than 90 per cent of people martyred, jailed or exiled during Indian freedom struggle were from Punjab.

The Chief Minister said that it is the moral responsibility of the MEA to explain why Punjab and especially Amritsar has been chosen for this landing. He said that despite the fact that a hostile neighbour is 40 kilometres away from Amritsar, an Army plane of US is being landed here. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that when the state government demands starting of international flights from here then the demand is declined by citing several frivolous reasons.

However, the Chief Minister said that to tarnish the image of the state the plane carrying deportees is being landed here without any rationale. He said that if the plane carrying former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina can be landed at Hindon Airport and Rafale jet can land in Ambala then why can’t this plane be taken to any other part of

the country.