The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), on Wednesday, accused Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of spending crores of rupees from the state exchequer to fund the air travel of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

In a statement, former minister Dr Daljit Singh Cheema said the state government has taken a decision to hire a fixed wing aircraft when it already has a helicopter at its disposal. It is shocking that the Punjab government is ready to waste crores of rupees simply to facilitate the travel of AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal and his entourage.

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Pointing out that a fixed wing aircraft is not needed for travel in Punjab as it has a small geographical area and, he said it would be used for travel outside Punjab to facilitate Kejriwal’s visits to other states for electioneering.

“Presently also the Punjab government hired private jets twice at the cost of Rs 44 lakh and Rs 55 lakh respectively for each trip to facilitate Kejriwal’s electioneering trips to Gujarat. It seems the AAP convener wants to crisscross the country and Bhagwant Mann has stepped forward to foot the bill on behalf of Punjabis,” the SAD leader alleged.

Asking the Punjab CM to withdraw his decision to hire a ten-seater Dassault Falcon 2000 fixed wing aircraft for a one year period, Dr Cheema said: “This wasteful expenditure cannot be countenanced keeping in view the fact that farmers have not been compensated for crop damage, the under privileged sections are not getting social benefits and youth are being denied jobs.”

He claimed the AAP government has already spent a staggering amount running into crores of rupees on travel by the state helicopter and hiring the services of a fixed wing aircraft will further increase this burden.

“The Punjab Chief Minister is fond of regaling Punjabis with tales of his simplicity. However, it is the same people who are now hiring private jets and heli-hopping from one place to another unmindful of the burden they are putting on the state exchequer,” he said.

Dr. Cheema also castigated the AAP government for hiding the expenses incurred on air travel of the CM on the state helicopter as well as private chartered flights on the pretext of security concerns.

“This information has never been withheld earlier and the fact that the AAP government is withholding it now makes it clear that they are misusing this facility,” the SAD leader said. He also condemned the Chief Minister for using the state helicopter to campaign for the AAP party in Himachal Pradesh.