Channi flight halted due to PM visit?

Chandigarh, Feb. 14: Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Monday claimed that his chopper was not allowed to fly to Hoshiarpur and Jalandhar because these areas were declared as no-fly zones amid Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the state

Channi was to attend a poll rally along with former Congress president Rahul Gandhi at Hoshiarpur. Gandhi was to attend a second rally alone in Gurdaspur which he attended.

Meanwhile, recalling his 2014 Lok Sabha poll campaign as the BJP’s PM candidate, Narendra Modi said his plane was not allowed to fly as “the Congress’ namdar and its yuvraj (prince), who was just an MP,” had a programme near Amritsar.

"I had to fl y at 11 am and I sat in the chopper. Suddenly I was told that the permission (for flying) has been cancelled and I could not go there. My four hours got wasted. I could not attend Rahul Gandhi’s rally because the clearance was not given" — Charanjit Singh Channi, Punjab CM