Union Government Blocks Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann’s International Travels Amid Growing Contention

Union Government Blocks Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann’s International Travels Amid Growing Contention

Critics have alleged that Mann’s behavior abroad brings disrepute to the country, often citing his past as a comedian and making claims regarding alcohol addiction.

By RMN News Service
New Delhi | February 9, 2026

NEW DELHI/CHANDIGARH – The political rift between the Union government and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has reached a critical juncture, with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) repeatedly stalling the Chief Minister’s international diplomatic efforts.

Repeated Travel Denials

As of February 2026, the Union government has frequently denied or delayed political clearance for several of Mann’s planned foreign visits. Most recently, a scheduled trip to the Czech Republic and the Netherlands was cancelled after the Central government held the clearance request in abeyance, providing no official response to the Chief Minister’s office. This marks the third time in early 2026 that Mann has failed to secure clearance, following denials for proposed official visits to the United Kingdom and Israel in January. Previously, a request to visit France during the Paris Olympics was also rejected.

The 2025 Diplomatic Row

The current impasse follows a sharp exchange in July 2025, when the MEA issued a strong rebuke of Mann. The ministry labeled his comments regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign trips as “irresponsible,” “regrettable,” and “beneath the dignity” of a state authority. Mann had publicly mocked the Prime Minister’s visits to nations of the Global South, referring to them as obscure locations such as “Magnesia,” “Galvesia,” and “Tarvesia”. While the MEA stated these remarks undermined India’s foreign relations, Mann doubled down, questioning why the Prime Minister frequently visits nations with such small populations.

Controversies and Character Allegations

The Chief Minister’s reputation on foreign soil has also been a subject of intense debate. Critics have alleged that Mann’s behavior abroad brings disrepute to the country, often citing his past as a comedian and making claims regarding alcohol addiction. A primary point of contention is a September 2022 incident at Frankfurt airport, where allegations surfaced that Mann was deplaned from a Lufthansa flight for being “heavily intoxicated”.

[ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਮੁੱਖ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਭਗਵੰਤ ਮਾਨ ਦੀਆਂ ਵਿਦੇਸ਼ੀ ਯਾਤਰਾਵਾਂ ‘ਤੇ ਰੋਕ: ਆਡੀਓ ਵਿਸ਼ਲੇਸ਼ਣ ]

Reports at the time claimed Mann was “not steady on his feet” and required assistance to navigate the airport, leading to a four-hour delay for the flight to Delhi. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) vehemently denied these reports as “frivolous propaganda,” citing Lufthansa’s explanation that the delay was due to an aircraft change and a delayed inbound flight. While opposition leaders claimed the incident “shamed Punjabis” worldwide, no concrete evidence, such as video footage, was ever produced to confirm the intoxication allegations.

Domestic Challenges and the 2027 Outlook

These diplomatic hurdles occur against a backdrop of severe domestic issues in Punjab. The state is currently grappling with what has been described as unprecedented political and bureaucratic corruption, lawlessness, massive debt, and a rampant drug addiction crisis.

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