‘Why are planes with deportees landing in Amritsar? Bid to defame Punjab’: CM Mann

AMRITSAR: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann came down hard on the Centre over the deportation of Indian citizens who allegedly illegally migrated to the United States, and said that Amritsar is being chosen deliberately to portray that only Punjabis are illegal migrants.

CM Mann claimed on Friday that the second plane carrying Indian citizens who allegedly illegally migrated to the US will land in Amritsar on Saturday. He also highlighted that Pakistan, an enemy country of India, is very near to Amritsar, posing a threat.

“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. 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.

#WATCH | Amritsar | Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann says, “A second plane carrying (Indian citizens who allegedly illegally migrated to the US) will land in Amritsar tomorrow…Ministry of External Affairs should tell the criteria based on which Amritsar was selected to land the… pic.twitter.com/TmPivL0xpn

— ANI (@ANI) February 14, 2025

He questioned the Centre as to why Ahmedabad or any other place was not chosen. “Sheikh Hasina landed in Hindon, Ghaziabad. Why can’t 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.

Notably, on February 5, a US Air Force plane carrying Indian citizens who ‘illegally immigrated’ to the US arrived in Amritsar, Punjab. A total of 104 Indian nationals were on board the plane that landed in Amritsar.

Opposition parties slammed the government both inside and outside Parliament, alleging that the deported Indians were brought in an “inhuman manner” on a US military plane and claiming that they were “ill-treated and handcuffed”. (ANI)