Frankfurt flight row: Punjab Congress leader Bajwa wants Mann to step down

Punjab leader of opposition Partap Singh Bajwa urges Centre to take cognisance; says if the reports are true and if the Punjab CM “has some morals” then he should resign for it’s a national shame that a sitting chief minister was deplaned from a flight

Punjab leader of opposition and senior Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa has demanded the resignation of Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann amid reports that he was deplaned from a Lufthansa flight at Frankfurt in Germany on Saturday night.

A Punjab government official confirmed that the CM did not board the flight as per schedule. AAP’s director of media communication Chander Suta Dogra said Mann was “a little unwell” and caught a flight later from Frankfurt. (HT Photo)

Addressing a press conference in Jalandhar on Monday, Bajwa said that if the reports are true and if the Punjab CM “has some morals” then he should resign for it’s a national shame that a sitting chief minister was deplaned from a flight. He said that the Union civil aviation ministry should take cognisance of the matter and sought a detailed report from Lufthansa on the issue.

“The AAP has been playing political gimmicks under the name of Operation Lotus. Even the AAP’s national leadership will remove Bhagwant Mann as chief minister before the 2024 elections,” claimed Bajwa, a former Rajya Sabha MP.

Mann was returning from an eight-day trip to Germany to seek investment for Punjab.

A Punjab government official confirmed that the CM did not board the flight as per schedule. AAP’s director of media communication Chander Suta Dogra said Mann was “a little unwell” and caught a flight later from Frankfurt.

AAP chief spokesperson Malwinder Singh Kang said, “The dirty tricks department of our political opponents is spreading these canards to defame our CM. They cannot digest that CM Mann is working hard to get investment in Punjab.”

In a tweet, Congress leader Khaira said, “I urge the @mealibdelhi to clarify why @BhagwantMann was deplaned from Frankfurt yesterday while travelling back to Delhi as the Indian counsel general Germany must be apprised of it as their officials accompany a dignitary like Cm Pb? AAP spokespersons are no authority to comment.”

Shiromani Akali Dal’s Sukhbir Singh Badal also urged the Centre to step in and raise the issue with its German counterpart. “These reports have embarrassed & shamed Punjabis all over”. “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 added.

When reached out for comment by HT, the Lufthana spokesperson said, “Our flight from Frankfurt to Delhi departed later than originally planned due to a delayed inbound flight and an aircraft change. For data protection reasons, we do not provide any information regarding individual passengers.”