Arvind Kejriwal Defends Bhagwant Mann Over Allegations Of Deplaning At Frankfurt For Being Inebriated

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday defended Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann amid allegations that he was deplaned from a Delhi-bound flight at the Frankfurt airport as he was "drunk".

Speaking to reporters in Vadodara in poll-bound Gujarat, Kejriwal said the Opposition is slinging mud at Mann and spreading lies as they cannot find a fault in his work. 

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Monday alleged that Mann was deplaned from a Lufthansa flight at the Frankfurt airport because he was in an inebriated state.

Earlier in the day, Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said he will look into the allegations.

"What Mann Saheb had done in the last six months, no government in Punjab had done in the last 75 years. After 75 years, Punjab has got a 'kattar' honest and hard-working chief minister," Kejriwal said.

He said the Opposition is indulged in mudslinging as it has failed to pick fault in Mann's work. 

"All this is a lie, all nonsense. The Opposition is trying to stop Mann but people are watching. They are happy with his work," Kejriwal said.

Queried on the arrest of AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan, the Delhi chief minister said anyone who committed a mistake should be punished.

He targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party for holding press conferences on this issue.

"I have never seen a more useless party than the BJP. It has CBI, ED, Income Tax, and the police at its disposal. Despite this, they hold press conferences daily to accuse people. If we ever form a government at the Centre, we will send accused people to jail and not hold press conferences," he said. 

Khan was nabbed by the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) on September 16 in connection with a graft case.

(With PTI inputs)