Chandigarh, Oct 19 (IANS) Shiromani Akali Dal MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Monday lashed out at Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over his France visit at a time when the state is "burning with protests" over anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota's murder, while accusing him of "abandoning" the people.
Taking to X, Harsimrat Kaur Badal said, "By leaving for France at this critical time, Punjab CM Guru Dokhi Bhagwant Mann has shown us his priorities. While Punjab is burning with protests over anti-drug crusader Parvinder Singh Jhota's death, the CM did not find the time to meet the victim family nor give any assurances nor suspend the guilty police officers."
"Every time Punjab is under turmoil, be it now, or be it the floods last year, Bhagwant Mann finds an easy solution -- to abandon the state and its people and flee abroad, just like he has done right now, " she said.
"Bhagwant Mann is misusing public money for his international trip, and perhaps he had gone to settle 'black money' earned via massive corruption in the last 4.5 years!" Badal added.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday allowed Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to travel to France amidst the Centre's denial of political clearance, citing the security threat to him and the absence of a formal invitation from the French government.
The Punjab government had approached the High Court after the Ministry of External Affairs denied political clearance for Mann's proposed visit to France from October 15 to 21, along with Chief Secretary K.A.P. Sinha and Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Ravi Bhagat.
The delegation's visit was aimed at promoting Punjab's agricultural and food-processing products in international markets and exploring trade opportunities.
According to the state government's petition, the proposed visit was linked to SIAL Paris 2026, an international food industry exhibition scheduled to take place from October 17 to 21 at Paris Nord Villepinte.