Punjab CM Mann slams Centre over 'deliberately choosing' Amritsar to land planes carrying illegal Indian migrants
India news: Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the United States, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said that at the time the Indian PM met US President Donald Trump, the US authorities must have been putting shackles on our people.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann slammed the Centre over the deportation of Indian citizens who allegedly entered the US illegally, stating that the government should specify the reason why Amritsar was chosen to land the flights.
Mann alleged that the Golden City was deliberately chosen to portray that Punjabis are the only ones involved in illegal migration.
The Punjab CM on Friday (Feb 14) claimed that the first plane carrying illegal migrants landed in Amritsar earlier this month and now a second plane is set to land in the city on Sunday (Feb 16).
"There is a conspiracy to defame Punjab and Punjabis. The first plane landed in Amritsar. Now, a second plane (carrying Indian citizens who allegedly illegally migrated to the US) will land in Amritsar. The MEA should tell the criteria based on which Amritsar was selected to land the aircraft. You select Amritsar to defame Punjab," Mann said.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the United States, Mann said that at the time the Indian PM met US President Donald Trump, the US authorities must have been putting shackles on our people.
"At the time when PM Modi and (US President) Trump were meeting, they (US authorities) must have been putting shackles on our people. Is this the gift Trump has given? America's military planes are landing in Amritsar, and an enemy country, Pakistan, is right next to it. Lahore is 40 km from there. What kind of foreign policy is this?" the Punjab CM said.
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He further questioned the government as to why Ahmedabad or any other place was not chosen for the flights carrying illegal migrants to land.
"Sheikh Hasina landed in Hindon, Ghaziabad. Why can these (Indian citizens who allegedly illegally migrated to the US) be landed in Hindon? They should be landed in the National Capital; we will bring our people from there. Amritsar is being chosen deliberately to portray that only Punjabis are illegal migrants. Why is Ahmedabad or Ambala not chosen? BJP always conspires to defame Punjab. They don't let international flights operate from Amritsar, claiming that it is not suitable for it, so why are flights coming in from the US now?" he added.
"I will strictly oppose this. I demand to the MEA and the MHA that the plane is still onboard, change the route and make it land in Delhi, Hindon or Ahmedabad," CM Mann said.
BJP responds
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rebuffed Mann's allegations and accused him of exploiting the issue for political gains.
"Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann should avoid doing politics on such sensitive issues. AAP leaders do not care about the security of the country; they only do politics," BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal said.
"Amritsar is the nearest international airport for flights entering India from the US. That is why US aircraft carrying illegal immigrants are landing there. Mr Bhagwant Mann, stop politicising the issue and promoting conspiracy theories due to your lack of knowledge," said BJP national spokesperson RP Singh in a post on X.
Second round of illegal Indian migrants set to arrive in Amritsar
Mann's remarks come as the US military transport aircraft, the C-17 Globemaster III, carrying 119 illegal Indian migrants is set to land at Amritsar International Airport on Sunday (Feb 16).
This comes after 104 individuals were deported back to the country earlier following the US government's crackdown on undocumented immigrants.
The deportees include 67 people from Punjab, 33 from Haryana, eight from Gujarat, three from Uttar Pradesh, two each from Rajasthan and Maharashtra, and one each from Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, news agency PTI reported quoting sources.
(With input from agencies)