Bhagwant Mann, a national joker and an international embarrassment

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was on an 8-day visit to Germany in order to attract investments and strategic tie-ups in various sectors including renewable energy, car manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and advanced agricultural practices. While the AAP CM may have attempted to copy PM Modi’s style of attracting investment by meeting different state heads and forging agreements, all he did was bring shame to the nation.

The technicalities

After his 8-day trip to Germany, Mann was to return to India in a flight from Lufthansa that was scheduled to depart at 1:40 PM (GMT 2) on Saturday and land in Delhi at 12:55 AM IST (GMT 5.30). However, the flight departed from Frankfurt at 5.52 PM (GMT 2) and landed in Delhi at 4:30 AM IST (GMT 5.30). This has raised serious questions as it was alleged that Bhagwant Mann was too drunk to walk, which led to a 4-hour delay .

Bhagwant Mann deplaned for being drunk

A report published on indiannarrative.com, alleged that as per an Indian co-passenger travelling on the same flight, “the CM was not steady on his feet as he had imbibed excessive alcohol and had to be supported by his wife and security personnel accompanying him.”

The four-hour delay was caused due to taking off the luggage of Mann and Co., which was loaded on the plane. Punjab government officials even tried to prevail upon the Lufthansa flight crew not to deplane Mann as he had to attend many important meetings fixed on the next day (AAP’s National Convention). But the airlines refused to compromise on their flight safety rules, said the co-passenger.

On Monday, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal also levelled allegations against Bhagwant Mann citing the same and asked Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann to come clean on the issue.

AAP running to save its face

After the allegations were raised, the Aam Aadmi Party came to Mann’s rescue. All this happened after Lufthansa News, a verified Twitter handle, cleared the fog around the issue. It tweeted, “Our flight from Frankfurt to Delhi departed later than originally planned due to delayed inbound flight and an aircraft change. Best regards.”

Read More: Under AAP’s Bhagwant Mann, Punjab is another Sri Lanka in making

After this, without any delay, AAP’s Malvinder Singh Kang asked the opposition maligning Mann must apologise. He said, “They have been spreading all sorts of lies since Sunday. They made false allegations against the CM of Punjab. They don’t mind bringing a bad name to the state by targeting the CM.” With this, the entire party cadre is busy claiming that Bhagwant Mann was not deplaned for being drunk.

Bhagwant Mann: A repeat offender

But why is the statement ‘Bhagwant Mann was found drunk’ is so easily convincing? The simple answer is that he carries the same image. There have been multiple times where similar allegations have been levelled against him.

In 2015, former AAP leader Yogendra Yadav alleged that Mann had attended Parliament sessions under the influence of alcohol. In 2016, Harnider Singh, leader from the same party had accused Bhagwant Mann of being drunk in the house and had even lodged a written complaint to the then Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan. The complaint stated that its “torturous” to sit next to Mann, who “reeks of liquor”. In the same year, Mann had live streamed his parliament trip, breaching security apparatus of the Parliament. Later it was alleged that Bhagwant Mann was drunk on that day. Sumitra Mahajan had asked Mann to not attend the sessions of the house until a decision was taken on the matter by the committee set up by the same.

Well, the recent incident stands as proof that Mann is not abiding the promise he had made regarding quitting alcohol, and he is no more than an international embarrassment for the nation.

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