Why Amritsar Chosen? Political Slugfest Erupts

BJP and Congress flay CM Bhagwant Mann questioning logic behind all US planes carrying illegal deportees landing only in Punjab city

- HARPREET BAJWA @Chandigarh

A political brouhaha has erupted with BJP and Congress flaying Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over him questioning the logic behind all the US planes carrying illegal Indian deportees landing only in Amritsar and accusing the Centre of "conspiring" to divert the landings to Punjab.

One landing is on late Saturday evening with 119 deportees abroad and the other, on Sunday with 157. In the three batches, 128 deportees hail from Punjab.

The BJP and the Congress have hit back at the Aam Aadmi Party, whose Chief Minister in Punjab, Bhagwant Mann, alleged two days ago: "What is the criterion for choosing Amritsar? The Centre and the Ministry of External Affairs should tell me. Why did you choose Amritsar and not the national capital? You did this to defame Punjab and Punjabis."

He also dragged Prime Minister Narendra Modi into the controversy, alleging he "did not bother to take up the issue" with US President Donald Trump. Mann sought to make it a region vs Centre issue, saying, "The BJP-led Centre always discriminates against Punjab. It does not let go of any chance of defaming the state. As part of a conspiracy, they are trying to defame Punjab and Punjabis."