Is Bhagwant Mann deplaning probe shelved? 'Tight-lipped' Centre puts weight on Punjab LOP Pratap Bajwa's remarks

Before the confidence motion, Pratap Bajwa had outlined the alleged union of BJP and Bhagwant Mann by citing the infamous Lufthansa deplaning row.

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Punjab is going through a massive political uproar ever since Punjab CM Bhagwat Mann tabled 'confidence motion' in the special Vidhan Sabha called for discussion over stubble burning and GST. Tabling the confidence motion in the special Vidhan Sabha, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann had lashed out at the opposition saying the Congress working hand-in-hand (B-team) of the BJP. Mann had accused the Congress party of working with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the operation lotus in order to topple the Aam Aadmi Party's government of Punjab. Interestingly, Punjab Leader of Opposition and Congress leader Pratap Bajwa in response called Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann 'an RSS person' and stated that he is in contact with Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Notably, before the confidence motion, Pratap Bajwa had outlined the alleged union of BJP and Bhagwant Mann by citing the infamous Lufthansa deplaning row.

For the unversed, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal, citing media reports had claimed that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann was deplaned from the Lufthansa Airlines for being in an inebriated state. It was reported that Mann, who was on an eight-day visit to Germany, was deboarded from a Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt to Delhi for allegedly being 'too drunk'. Furthermore, the opposition leader stated that the Lufthansa flight suffered a four-hour delay due to Bhagwant Mann. However, the Aam Aadmi Party had denied the claims by the opposition leaders that the Punjab CM was deplaned from the German carrier flight. Even, Lufthansa had issued a vague statement over Bhagwant Mann's alleged deplaning row saying that the delay took place 'due to a delayed inbound flight and an aircraft change'. However, Lufthansa was asked again by a Twitter user whether Bhagwant Mann was drunk or not? The German carrier flight refused to answer saying, 'For data protection reasons we do not provide any information regarding individual passengers.'

Pratap Bajwa's remark about 'BJP and Mann' union

After the political uproar over Bhagwant Mann's alleged deplaning took the Centre stage, Union Aviation Minister Jyotoraditya Scindia stated that he will look into the matter based on requests. Jyotiraditya Scindia was quoted by a newswire saying, "This was an incident on international soil, will have to make sure to verify the details and facts. It's up to Lufthansa airlines to provide that data." Following this, Punjab's leader of Opposition Pratap Bajwa wrote a letter to Jyotoraditya Scindia and urged the Union civil aviation ministry to conduct an inquiry into the alleged incident. In his letter, Bajwa also asked the Union Aviation Ministry to make the report of the investigation into the alleged Bhagwant Mann deplaning row public.

However, it has been more than a week, the Centre is yet to reply to the ongoing investigation into the Bhagwant Mann-deplaning row. Interestingly, Pratap had shared a video on his Twitter handle asking why the BJP had deleted its Tweet against Bhagwant Mann adding that he tried to call Scindia but he did not answer him clearly over the alleged deplaning row. True Scoop News also tried to ask Union Civil Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia about the developments in the investigation on Twitter, however, no answers were given by the Centre.

Was Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann deplaned from an India-bound flight? Lufthansa fires first response

Whatever the truth is, the Centre must make the report of its investigation public to end political blame games on the Lufthansa deplaning row to an end.

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