'He Lands in Pakistan for Biryani, But Can’t Resolve Local Issues': Bhagwant Mann’s Attack on Modi

Punjab Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Bhagwant Mann, for the second consecutive day, took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his foreign visits, making a reference to his 2015 trip to Pakistan. Mann, who turned from a comedian to a politician, said in Punjabi in the Assembly on Friday:

It feels like when the prime minister is flying in his plane, he looks down and asks, ‘What country is this below?’ When someone tells him it’s a certain country, he says, ‘No problem, we’ll be an hour late to where we were headed; let’s land here instead.’ He decides to land anywhere. That's how he ended up landing in Pakistan too."

Mann then mentioned PM Modi’s sudden visit to Pakistan in 2015 to meet then-Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. He said:

"On a whim, the prime minister chose to travel to Pakistan. He went there, ate biryani, and came back. We can't go to Pakistan, but he can land there!"

PM Modi Had Visited Pakistan in 2015

To recall, in 2015, PM Modi was returning home after visiting Russia and spending some time in Afghanistan when he suddenly decided to land in Pakistan. He has been criticised for this move over the years.

MEA Called Mann’s Remarks Regrettable

Earlier as well, Mann had made similar jokes about PM Modi's international visits during a public event. He had said:

"The PM went to Ghana… Where did he go? Don’t know which countries… Magnisia, Galvesia, Tarvesia… who knows where all he’s going" He doesn’t stay in a country with 1.4 billion people but travels to nations with just 10,000 people—and even gets their highest honours.

Following this, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had responded—without naming Mann—calling such remarks "irresponsible and regrettable".

"Don’t I Have a Right to Question Foreign Policy?" When asked outside the Punjab Assembly on Friday about the MEA’s reaction, Mann responded:

'Can't I ask about foreign policy?'

He added, "I will continue to raise such issues. There are 140 Indians living in this country. The government should engage with them and address their concerns. The Modi government claims it can stop the war between Russia and Ukraine, yet it can't even resolve the water dispute between Punjab and Haryana.