Centre denies Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann political clearance to visit Paris
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Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has been denied political clearance by the Centre to visit Paris, where he intended to support the Indian hockey team during the ongoing Olympic Games.
Mann, who holds a diplomatic passport, was scheduled to travel to Paris from August 3 to August 9 to witness the Indian hockey team's quarterfinal match on August 4.
An official source indicated that the Centre denied the permission due to the challenges of arranging Z-Plus security for Mann on short notice. The Chief Minister's Office was notified of the decision on Friday evening.
Political clearance for senior leaders to travel abroad is required from the Ministry of External Affairs.
In a related incident, Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan was also denied political clearance to travel to the United States for a conference of legislative body speakers scheduled from August 4 to August 7. Sandhwan noted that speakers from other opposition-ruled states, such as Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, and Kerala, were also denied clearance, while the speaker from Meghalaya received permission.
Bhagwant Mann expressed his disappointment after speaking with Indian men's hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh, congratulating the team for their historic win over Australia. Mann mentioned his intention to visit Paris to encourage the team but lamented that he could not due to the denial of clearance.
Harchand Singh Barsat, general secretary of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab, criticized the Centre's decision, stating it insulted the people of Punjab, particularly since many Indian hockey team players are from the state.
Barsat described the denial as an infringement on the rights of a constitutionally-elected official and highlighted previous instances where AAP leaders were prevented from traveling abroad, such as when Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was denied permission to visit Singapore.
Barsat also accused the Centre of discriminating against Punjab by excluding the state's tableau from the Republic Day parade, withholding compensation for flood-affected farmers, and blocking various state funds, including the rural development and national health mission funds.