Centre denied political clearance for CM Mann’s proposed visit to U.K., Israel: Punjab AAP

The ruling AAP in the state said on Wednesday (January 14, 2025) that the Union government has not given political permission to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and State Industries Minister Sanjeev Arora for their upcoming visit to the United Kingdom and Israel in February to attract investments.

He claimed that this was not the first time Mr Mann had been denied such permission by the Centre.

“Chief Minister Mann and Industries Minister Sanjeev Arora were to travel to England and Israel in February. The delegation was also supposed to comprise some state government officials. If permission had been given, the exact dates would have been finalised.

Punjab AAP General Secretary and party’s Media Officer Baltej Pannu said, “However, the Center refused to grant political permission to the delegation. The reason for this was not stated.”

Senior leaders need political permission from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to travel abroad.

Mr Mann, who holds a diplomatic passport as prime minister, was scheduled to visit Britain and Israel on a week-long trip to attract investment.

In December, Mr. Mann had led a delegation as part of the State government’s outreach ahead of the Phase 6 Punjab Investors Summit scheduled to be held in Mohali on March 13-15, 2026.

In August 2024, Bhagwant Mann had said that the Center had denied him political permission to visit Paris to support the Indian hockey team in the ongoing Olympic Games. The Indian hockey team was scheduled to visit Paris from August 3 to August 9 for the quarter-final match on August 4.