AAP Punjab says CM Bhagwant Mann held three hours at Delhi airport, fined Rs 50,000

New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab media in-charge Baltej Pannu has launched a sharp attack on the Centre. He alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government leave no opportunity to belittle Punjab and Punjabiyat.

Pannu said Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was returning from Paris. According to him, Mann was deliberately held for three hours at Delhi airport and then fined Rs 50,000. Pannu called it a direct attack on Punjab's existence and honour.

Listing what he called the Centre's anti-Punjab policies, Pannu said that whether it was keeping farmers forcibly seated on Delhi's borders for a year and a half or withholding Punjab's rightful funds, the Centre was trying to throttle Punjab at every level.

Pannu also said Chief Minister Mann has been denied permission for foreign trips at least four times so far. According to him, the reason is that the Modi government fears that if the chief minister goes abroad, he will bring investment and funds and set Punjab on the path of progress.

Pannu further alleged that the Centre showed its narrow mindset even when Mann went to France, in line with an order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Mann had gone there to launch Punjab's well-known products such as rajma and white chickpeas at the world's second-largest food festival.

As details of the incident, it was stated that it happened at Terminal 3 (T-3) of Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport. Mann and his wife, Dr Gurpreet Kaur, returned from Paris at 11 pm on an Air France flight. They were stopped then.

Explaining the fine, it was stated that the airport has two channels. The Green Channel, or Nothing to Declare, is for passengers with nothing to declare, who walk straight out. The Red Channel, or Goods to Declare, is for those carrying expensive items or goods above the permitted limit, who must pay customs duty before leaving.

On the Paris trip, it was stated that SIAL Paris 2026, the world's second-largest food festival, was held from October 17 to 21. Mann went there to promote Punjab's rajma, chickpeas and Markfed products in the international market.