AAP MP Harbhajan Singh demands expansion of Amritsar Airport

New Delhi [India], July 25 : Cricketer-turned-politician and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh on Thursday reiterated the demand for expansion of Amritsar airport to facilitate the passengers of Punjab heading towards Canada, USA, etc.
AAP MP demanded the construction of a new terminal at Amritsar Airport and an increasing number of flights to the USA, Canada and other countries, directly from Amritsar.
In an exclusive interview with ANI, Harbhajan Singh said, "For the last 3 days in the zero-hour, we have put a notice discuss the on issue of expansion of Amritsar Airport because we know there are lot of Punjabis who head to Canada, US, etc. but there not a generous number of flights from Amritsar, for which they have to come to Delhi for which they have to pay prices for petrol, hotels, etc. We want the construction of a new terminal at Amritsar airport and an increase in the number of flights to Canada, US, etc."
"This is compulsory because around 10 lakh Punjabis reside in Canada and in the recent agreement of increasing the number of flights between Canada-India, there was no mention of Amritsar, so if this expansion happens, it will be great service to the people of Punjab," said Harbhajan Singh.
He further slammed the BJP-led NDA government for the Union Budget 2024-25 and said that they have given all the things to just one-two state.
Urging the government not to discriminate between states, he asserted, "Budget could be made much better, there is nothing significant in it. Things could have been better. Inflation is increasing day by day. They haven't given anything to Punjab. Our farmers have been protesting but they weren't given anything. I think the government should not do such discrimination as Punjab has contributed fairly in the nation development. Expect 1-2 states, nobody has got anything."
After INDIA bloc and Punjab's CM Bhagwant Mann boycotted the meeting of NITI Aayog meeting, Singh reacted and said, "This is right because this budget is not satisfying as there is not anything much about our states and there is no point in attending this meeting. I stand with my party's decision."
Earlier in the day, After being denied special status by the Centre, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab government has decided that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will not attend the NITI Aayog meeting to be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 27.
Mann addressed a press conference on Wednesday where he listed the reasons behind boycotting the NITI Aayog meeting and said that Punjab has been denied special status and that's why they are boycotting the meeting.
"Punjab should be given special status but it has been denied its rights. Our Rural Development Fund is being stopped. Tableau of Punjab is not being displayed on Republic Day. Our share of GST is not being given to us. In whole of the budget, there is no mention of Punjab. So why would we go there," said Bhagwant Mann.
"We contribute 47 per cent to the food bowl and the ration provided to 80 crore people of India comes from Punjab. 30 per cent police are deployed towards national borders and working for national security still no budget is allocated. Prime Minister put the future of youth at stake just save his own future," said Bhagwant Mann.