Amritsar: All hell broke loose on social networking sites with the former Punjab Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal posting this morning on his Twitter handle about “CM Punjab Bhagwant Mann being deplaned in Frankfurt, Germany allegedly for being drunk”.
Badal wrote, “Disturbing media reports quoting co-passengers say Pb CM @BhagwantMann was deplaned from Lufthansa flight as he was too drunk to walk. And it led to a 4-hour flight delay. He missed AAP’s national convention. These reports have embarrassed and shamed Punjabis all over the globe ½.”
Sharing a screenshot of a write-up by Indianarrative.com, that reads, “However, an Indian co-passenger, who did not wish to be named, on the same flight alleged in communication with indianarrative.com that “the Chief Minister was not steady on his feet as he had consumed excessive alcohol and had to be supported by his wife and security personnel accompanying him. The passenger said the departure of the flight was delayed by over 4 hours as the luggage of the CM’s entourage which was loaded on the plane had to be taken off. “Punjab government officials tried to prevail upon the Lufthansa flight crew not to deplane Mann as he had to attend many important meetings fixed on the next day but they refused to compromise on their flight safety rules,” he added.
Badal had tagged the Twitter handles of major newspapers and media channels as well as news agency PTI and CM Mann along with Kejriwal and added in his second tweet, “Shockingly, Pb govt is mum over these reports involving their CM Bhagwant Mann. Arvind Kejriwal needs to come clean on this issue. The government of India must step in as this involves Punjabi & National pride. If he (Mann) was deplaned, GoI must raise the issue with its German counterpart. 2/2.”
Controversy has broken out last night, on whether Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was deplaned from a Delhi-bound Lufthansa flight in Frankfurt because he was not found fit to travel.
The report vigorously going viral since last night stated, “The Lufthansa website shows that the flight from Frankfurt was scheduled to depart at 1.40 PM (GMT+2) on Saturday and land in Delhi at 12.55 AM IST (GMT+5.30). However, the flight departed from Frankfurt at 5.52 PM (GMT+2) and landed in Delhi at 4.30 AM IST (GMT+5.30) today.”
Chander Suta Dogra, director of media communications of AAP told the reporter of the website, “The Chief Minister was a little unwell and would catch a flight from Frankfurt tonight to return back home,” and added that Mann at present is addressing an AAP conclave of all the party’s elected representatives being held in Delhi via video conferencing. She said all the national TV channels were showing him participating in the sammelan.”
The report notes: “However, an Indian co-passenger, who did not wish to be named, on the same flight alleged in communication with indianarrative.com that “the Chief Minister was not steady on his feet as he had consumed excessive alcohol and had to be supported by his wife and security personnel accompanying him.”
The passenger is alleged to have said: “The departure of the flight was delayed by over 4 hours as the luggage of the CM’s entourage which was loaded on the plane had to be taken off. Punjab government officials tried to prevail upon the Lufthansa flight crew not to deplane Mann as he had to attend many important meetings fixed on the next day but they refused to compromise on their flight safety rules.”
Malwinder Singh Kang, AAP spokesman, Chandigarh dismissed the information about Mann having been deplaned since he was drunk as “bakwaas!” “People keep saying so many rubbish things,” he stressed and added that the CM would return in the next two or three days. Navneet Wadhwa, media in-charge CM’s office said, “Mann Sahib will board a flight today evening (19th September) from Frankfurt around 4.30 PM (GMT+2) and land in Delhi tonight at around 1 AM (GMT+5.30),” adding that as per the schedule available with him the CM was to remain in Germany till September 18. When the reporter questioned, Wadhwa answered, “he would send the schedule but admitted that it did not mention any timings of the CM’s departure. Wadhwa did not send the schedule, till late evening yesterday till the filing of the online report.”
It may be mentioned that CM Bhagwant Mann, had gone to Germany on September 11 and was to return on September 18. He visited Munich, Frankfurt, and Berlin and sought investments in Punjab. He attended the world’s leading trade fair, DRINKTECb 2022, and was accompanied by his wife and other senior officials besides security personnel.
