The Centre has once again blocked an overseas tour planned by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, triggering a fresh political flashpoint between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Union government.
According to AAP leaders, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has refused to grant political clearance to Mann’s proposed foreign visit scheduled for February, where he was expected to travel to the United Kingdom and Israel to pitch Punjab as an investment destination. The visit was aimed at attracting global investors and exploring industrial collaborations for the state.
Sources said the chief minister was supposed to be accompanied by Punjab Industries Minister Sanjeev Arora and a delegation of senior bureaucrats, including top officials from the state’s administrative and industries departments. The itinerary reportedly included meetings with business leaders, investors, and industry associations over a period of nearly ten days.
The denial of clearance has sparked sharp reactions within the ruling AAP, which accused the Centre of deliberately obstructing Punjab’s development initiatives. Party leaders argued that foreign investment outreach is crucial for boosting employment, strengthening infrastructure, and reviving the state’s industrial growth, and alleged that political considerations were being placed above economic interests.
This is not the first time Bhagwant Mann’s foreign travel plans have been stalled. In August 2024, the Centre had similarly declined permission for his visit to Paris, where he had intended to support the Indian hockey team during the Olympic Games. That decision had also led to a public spat between the state government and the Centre.
Under established protocol, chief ministers and senior constitutional functionaries are required to obtain political clearance from the MEA before undertaking official foreign visits. While the Centre has not publicly detailed the reasons behind the latest denial, the move has once again raised questions over Centre-state relations, particularly with opposition-ruled states.
