Punjab CM Mann on US plane with deportees landing in Amritsar: ‘Conspiracy to prove Punjabis are illegal immigrants’

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann on Saturday slammed the Centre for selecting Amritsar for landing US military aircraft carrying illegal immigrants, stating that ‘it is a conspiracy to portray that only Punjabis are illegal migrants’. He also demanded that future flights land in New Delhi or other locations instead.

A military flight will deport 119 individuals, who were in the US illegally and will reach Amritsar in India on Saturday. Earlier this month, a US military aircraft carrying 104 illegal immigrants from various states landed in Amritsar, the first such batch of Indians deported by the Trump government as part of a crackdown against illegal immigrants.

Reacting to the update, Mann said, as reported by ANI, "There is a conspiracy to defame Punjab and Punjabis... The first plane landed in Amritsar... Now, a second plane (carrying Indian citizens who allegedly illegally migrated to the US) will also land here. The MEA should clarify criteria based on which Amritsar was selected to land the aircraft.

“At the time when PM Modi and (US President) Trump were meeting, they (US authorities) must have been putting shackles on our people. Is this the gift Trump has given?...,” he adds.

Asserting that Lahore is just 40 km from Amritsar, he questioned why the Centre is choosing to land these plane in city considering ‘enemy country, Pakistan, is right next to it. What kind of foreign policy is this?...’

“They should be landed in the National Capital; we will bring our people from there...”

He further added, “Amritsar is being chosen deliberately to portray that only Punjabis are illegal migrants... Why is Ahmedabad or Ambala not chosen?... BJP always conspires to defame Punjab... They don't let international flights operate from Amritsar, claiming that it is not suitable for it, so why are flights coming in from the US now?...”

Strickly opposing Centre's stance, Mann said, “I demand to the MEA and the MHA that the plane is still onboard, change the route and make it land in Delhi, Hindon or Ahmedabad….”