The Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday denied permission to Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann for his travel to Paris. The MEA has cited security reasons for denying the permission. The Chief Minister’s Office received information on l Friday evening.
Notably, Bhagwant Mann wanted to go to the Paris Olympics to boost the morale of the Indian Hockey team. He was to depart last night but as the permission has been denied, he will not be able to fly for Paris.
The Chief Minister’s Office received information regarding the denial of permission to travel late last evening. Mann deplored he was spending money from his own pocket to go for the Olympics to root for the hockey players, 10 of whom were from Punjab.
“I thought it was my duty to be there for my Punjabi players when they play the crucial matches. However, Modi ji alone wants to travel abroad. He does not want anyone else to be seen as a representative of the country; that is why permission has been denied to me and another CM of an opposition party,” he said.
Visibly upset, Mann said there were 19 players from Punjab in the Olympic contingent from India. “Ten players in the hockey team are from Punjab. They have created history today by winning a match against Australia in the Olympics after 52 years. My officers were told that they applied for permission late”.
However, it was only after the hockey team cleared initial matches that we could decide to go to cheer them on, he said, adding that the Government of India was blatant in denying him permission, even though he had a diplomatic passport.
Mann said the BJP-led government had earlier denied permission to AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal to travel to Singapore. “Gopal Rai, too, was denied permission to travel to the US last year, and he had to move court. Do they (referring to the BJP) want us to move court for everything,” he asked.
Notably, the Indian Hockey team registered a record victory against Australia in the Paris Olympics by defeating them after 52 years. India defeated Australia by 3-2 in their first Olympic win against the formidable rival since 1972.
