A political row erupted in Punjab after the Opposition claimed that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was deplaned from a Delhi-bound flight at the Frankfurt airport as he was “drunk”. AAP reverted on the comments and termed them 'baseless'.
The row was triggered by Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal who that Mann was deplaned from the Lufthansa flight because of being in a drunk state. He shared a media report on Twitter and claimed that "reports have embarrassed & shamed Punjabis all over the globe."
“Disturbing media reports quoting co-passengers say Pb CM @BhagwantMann was deplaned from Lufthansa flight as he was too drunk to walk. And it led to a 4-hour flight delay. He missed AAP's national convention. These reports have embarrassed & shamed Punjabis all over the globe,” he tweeted.
However, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang called the allegations baseless and bogus and accused the rival parties of indulging in negative propaganda to defame the chief minister.
“The allegations are baseless, bogus and false,” Kang said and alleged that the opposition parties were spreading canards against the chief minister as they cannot digest the fact that he was working hard to get investments into the state.
Mann returned from his eight-day trip from Germany on Monday where he had gone to attract investments.
Badal, in another tweet, also expressed shock that the state government is silent over the issue.
“Shockingly, Pb govt is mum over these reports involving their CM @BhagwantMann @ArvindKejriwal needs to come clean on this issue. Govt of India must step in as this involves Punjabi & national pride. If he was deplaned, GoI must raise the issue with its German counterpart,” he said.
Congress leader and Leader of Opposition of Punjab Assembly, Partap Singh Badal sought an inquiry into the matter. He said if the reports about deplaning of Mann were right, it would be an embarrassment for the whole nation.
(PTI inputs)
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