Key opposition leader and chief of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Sukhbir Singh Badal hit out at India's Punjab State Chief Bhagwant Mann after several media outlets claimed the latter was booted off a Lufthansa flight in Frankfurt while intoxicated.
"Disturbing media reports quoting co-passengers say Punjab Chief Minister (State Chief) Bhagwant Mann was deplaned from a Lufthansa flight as he was too drunk to walk. And it led to a 4-hour flight delay. He missed AAP's national convention. These reports have embarrassed and shamed Punjabis all over the globe," Badal tweeted on Monday.
Meanwhile, The Hindu daily reported that Mann was on an eight-day visit to Germany to explore investment opportunities for his state in the European country. The Punjab chief was earlier scheduled to return to Delhi on Sunday but departure from the Frankfurt airport was delayed due to "health reasons".
Mann's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has refuted the accusations, accusing the opposition of playing "dirty tricks" to "deframe" the state chief, while he is "working hard to get investment in Punjab."
Meanwhile, netizens shared tweets by a fellow passenger who claimed that the Punjab politician was "totally drunk" when he arrived at the Frankfurt airport and could barely stand on his own.
A tweet by @rishibagree about Punjab State Chief Bhagwant Mann allegedly spotted "drunk" on a Lufthansa flight
© Photo : Twitter/ @rishibagree