‘Amritsar airport closest to US’, BJP to Bhagwant Mann over ‘why defame Punjab’ claim

The BJP has hit back at Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who questioned the decision to land another plane carrying illegal Indian deportees at Amritsar airport on Friday.

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Amritsar is the closest international airport for flights entering India from the USA. That’s why the US plane carrying illegal immigrants is landing there. Stop politicizing the issue and promoting conspiracy theories due to your lack of knowledge. @BhagwantMann.

— RP Singh National Spokesperson BJP (@rpsinghkhalsa) February 15, 2025

Taking to X, RP Singh said, "Amritsar is the closest international airport for flights entering India from the USA. That's why the US plane carrying illegal immigrants is landing there. Stop politicizing the issue and promoting conspiracy theories due to your lack of knowledge."

This comes after Mann accused the Centre of attempting to defame Punjab as part of a conspiracy. "The BJP-led Centre always discriminates against Punjab. It does not let go of any chance of defaming the state," Mann said while addressing the media in Amritsar on Friday evening.

"As part of a conspiracy, they are trying to defame Punjab and Punjabis," he said. Mann also questioned the Centre about the criteria for choosing Amritsar airport to land the second aircraft. "What is the criterion for choosing Amritsar? The Centre and the Ministry of External Affairs should tell me. Why did you choose Amritsar and not the national capital? You did this to defame Punjab and Punjabis," Mann said.

Noting that deportation is a national issue, Mann said it is being made to appear that only Punjabis migrate illegally.

After the first batch of illegal immigrants was sent on February 5, most of the deportees hailing from Punjab said they wanted to migrate to the US for a better life for their families.

However, their dreams were shattered when they were caught on the US border and sent back in shackles. Many people from Punjab and other states, who entered the US through "donkey routes" – an illegal and risky pathway used by migrants to enter America or other illegal means by spending lakhs of rupees – are now facing deportation.