Oppn objects to omission of ‘Mohali’ from airport’s name

Mohali, September 28

The international airport was on Wednesday renamed Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport, Chandigarh, even as two political parties opposed the decision.

The renaming came days after PM Narendra Modi’s announcement during his ‘Mann Ki Baat radio’ broadcast, in this regard.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who was the chief guest at an event at the airport, unveiled the plaque. Shortly after the plaque was unveiled, there were strong reactions from the SAD and the Congress.

The SAD criticised the Punjab Government for allowing the omission of word “Mohali” from the name of the airport. The party tweeted: “The SAD-BJP government had during its 2007-2012 tenure given land from Mohali district for the expansion of the airport on the condition that Mohali will be added to the name.”

PCC president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring alleged CM Mann had sold the interests of Punjab to the BJP. He said it was the Congress which had started a campaign for renaming the airport after the martyr. He said while Chandigarh belonged exclusively to Punjab, the Mohali airport should have been named as Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport, Mohali, after the city (Mohali) it is in.