Jalandhar (Punjab): Pratap Singh Bajwa, the Leader of Opposition in Jalandhar, on Monday claimed that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, was deplaned from the Lufthansa flight at the Frankfurt Airport while on a foreign tour as he was too drunk to walk. The CM returned from Frankfurt last minute to take another flight, while his travel time was also changed, the LoP claimed, speaking at a press conference in Jalandhar.
The allegations surfaced after a local news portal published a news article quoting a co-passenger of Mann, alleging that the 'CM was too drunk to stand on his feet because of excessive consumption of alcohol and had to be supported by his wife and security personnel'.
Taking a flay at Mann for the same, the minister said that it is a matter of shame for the country and the state of Punjab that a CM has been prevented from sitting on the plane because he is not in proper condition. Bajwa further said that it's now to be seen whether or not AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal takes any action against Mann. If found guilty in the case at Frankfurt, Mann should himself resign from his office on moral grounds, the minister added.
Meanwhile, the Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal also took to Twitter to take a jibe at CM Bhagwant Mann over the flight incident. In a tweet, he said, "Disturbing media reports quoting co-passengers say Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann was deplaned from Lufthansa flight as he was too drunk to walk and it led to a 4-hr flight delay. These reports have embarrassed Punjabis all over the globe."
He further slammed the Punjab government over their silence on the issue and sought clarifications on the incident. He also asked AAP leaders including party chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to come clean on the issue."Shockingly, the Punjab government is mum over these reports involving their CM Bhagwant Mann, Arvind Kejriwal needs to come clean on this issue. The government of India must step in as this involves Punjabi and national pride. If he was deplaned, the government of India must raise the issue with its German counterpart," he added.
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Punjab Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira, in a tweet, urged the Ministry of External Affairs to confirm the incident. "I urge the @mealibdelhi to clarify why @BhagwantMann was deplaned from Frankfurt yesterday while traveling 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," he said in a tweet.
Mann has had a history of alcohol addiction, which was largely considered a setback while he was contesting for the CM seat in Punjab. Owing to his addiction, he was also satirically known as 'Pegwant Mann'. Before the elections, Delhi CM and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal had clarified that though Mann has been a victim of alcoholism in the past, he is no more an addict, and therefore competent enough to assume the position of the Chief Minister of Punjab.
