Congress and Akali Dal Slam Centre Over Amritsar Landings Amid Accusations of Defamation

Prominent leaders from Punjab, including Congress MP Manish Tewari and Shiromani Akali Dal's Gulzar Singh Ranike, have criticized the central government for landing flights carrying Indian citizens who allegedly illegally migrated to the US in Amritsar. They claim it is a deliberate move to defame Punjab.

In a controversial development, Congress MP Manish Tewari voiced his support for Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's criticism over the repeated landing of flights in Amritsar. These planes are carrying Indian citizens who reportedly migrated illegally to the United States.

Tewari expressed his discontent to ANI, questioning whether the central government intended to stigmatize Punjab by selecting Amritsar as the landing site. Echoing Mann's sentiments, he argued that the plan could have easily been diverted to other airports, such as Delhi, where passengers from different states, including Gujarat and Haryana, could be accommodated.

Shiromani Akali Dal leader Gulzar Singh Ranike joined in the criticism, deeming the landings a calculated effort to tarnish Punjab's reputation on a national scale. Ranike went as far as to label the scenario a "conspiracy," emphasizing the necessity for a change in policy and urging the government to distribute such landings more evenly across other Indian states.