Modi Hits Back at Channi's Chopper Claims, Says 'Yuvraj' Had Held Him in 2014

After Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi claimed on Monday, 14 February, that his helicopter had been refused permission to fly to Hoshiarpur due to Narendra Modi's visit to the state, the prime minister hit back by reminding the Congress Party of a 2014 incident when he said that his helicopter was held up in Punjab because a "Yuvraj (prince)" was flying to Amritsar, NDTV reported.A furious Channi later said in response that "Charanjit Channi is a Chief Minister, he's not a terrorist that you are stopping him from flying to Hoshiarpur! This is not the way."The incident that Modi was talking about happened when he was going to Punjab to campaign for the 2014 national election, after he had been named the PM candidate for the BJP."My name was announced for PM candidate. I had to visit Pathankot and Himachal to campaign. But my chopper was not allowed to fly because their yuvraj (prince) was also in Amritsar. So the Congress has a habit of not allowing the opposition to work," PM Modi said at an election rally in Jalandhar on Monday, 14 February.Channi had asserted earlier in the day that he had been denied permission to fly to Hoshiarpur to attend Rahul Gandhi's rally. "I was in Una at 11 am but suddenly the permission to fly to Hoshiarpur was denied due to PM Modi's movement. It was declared a no-fly zone. I was not able to attend Rahul Gandhi's rally in Hoshiarpur. I had permission to land," Channi had said, as quoted by news agency ANI.Punjab Polls | Dakha & a Day of Ironies: How Channi Upstaged Amarinder & SidhuCongress leader Sunil Jakhar, in response to the Chief Minister's claims, said, "CM Channi was scheduled to come here but it's shameful that this government cancelled permission for Charanjit Singh Channi to come to Hoshiarpur. If the Election Commission doesn't take cognisance of this, I'll understand that these polls are a farce", as quoted by ANI. How Was PM’s ‘Security Breached’? Who is Responsible? We Ask 10 Big QuestionsIt was Modi's first rally in state since the controversy that occurred in January earlier this year regarding his security.The prime minister and the BJP had claimed that there had been a breach in the PM's security when his convoy was stuck on a flyover for 15-20 minutes.The BJP had targeted Chief Minister Channi in their accusations.The assembly election in Punjab will be held on 20 February.Vote counting will take place on 10 March. The ruling party, the Congress, will seek to hold on to power, and will face the Shiromani Akali Dal, the Aam Aadmi Party, and the BJP-Punjab Lok Congress alliance. (With inputs from ANI)

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Modi Hits Back at Channi's Chopper Claim, Says 'Yuvraj' Had Held Him in 2014

Channi was scheduled to go to Hoshiarpur to attend Rahul Gandhi's rally but his chopper was denied permission.

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