'Modi ji alone wants to travel abroad', says CM Mann.

Paris Olympics 2024: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has been denied political clearance by the Ministry of External Affairs for his travel to Paris ahead of the Olympics 2024. CM Mann was slated to be in Paris from August 3 to 9 to cheer for the hockey team participating in the Paris Olympics 2024.

Reportedly, the Chief Minister’s Office received information related to the denial of permission to travel. CM Mann, as per the report of The Tribune, said he was spending money from his own pocket to go to the Olympics to cheer for the hockey players of which 10 of the players were from Punjab.

“I thought it was my duty to be there for my Punjabi players when they play the crucial matches. However, Modi ji alone wants to travel abroad. He does not want anyone else to be seen as a representative of the country; that is why permission has been denied to me and another CM of an opposition party,” he was quoted as saying by The Tribune.

CM Mann said there were 19 players from Punjab in the Indian contingent for the Olympics. “Ten players in the hockey team are from Punjab. They have created history today by winning a match against Australia in the Olympics after 52 years. My officers were told that they applied for permission late. However, it was only after the hockey team cleared initial matches that we could decide to go to cheer them on,” he said.

Furthermore, he said that the Government of India was blatant in denying him permission, even though he had a diplomatic passport.

Mann further said “Gopal Rai, too, was denied permission to travel to the US last year, and he had to move court. Do they (referring to the BJP) want us to move the court for everything,” he asked.