Chandigarh, Oct 21 (IANS) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Punjab General Secretary Anil Sareen on Wednesday sought an explanation from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over reports that he was stopped at the Delhi airport for three hours upon returning from France and allegedly fined Rs 50, 000.
Sareen demanded that the Chief Minister clarify the circumstances surrounding the incident and disclose which rule was reportedly violated.
According to a statement issued by the BJP office in Chandigarh, Sareen said the people of Punjab have a right to know why the Chief Minister was stopped at the airport and on what grounds the fine was imposed.
He urged Mann to make a copy of the challan public and provide a clear explanation of the alleged violation.
Sareen said that following the controversy surrounding the Chief Minister’s Germany tour, the latest incident had raised further questions about Punjab’s image.
He demanded that Mann personally address the media and clarify the matter to dispel public doubts.
Emphasising the importance of accountability, Sareen stated that although the Chief Minister holds a constitutional office, no individual is above the law. He said that respecting the dignity of the office must go hand in hand with compliance with the law and accountability to the public.
He further added that if the reported action at the Delhi airport was related to baggage inspection, customs regulations or any other legal provision, the relevant facts should be made public.
The Chief Minister, he said, should explain why he was allegedly detained for three hours and why a fine of Rs 50, 000 was reportedly imposed. Sareen stressed that the issue should be clarified through documentary evidence and factual information rather than speculation.
He also criticised what he described as repeated embarrassment for Punjab, referring to the controversy over an alleged flight delay during Mann’s Germany tour and the latest reported incident at the Delhi airport.