Indian Politicians Denied Overseas Travel by Central Government

The Central Government of India has denied political clearance for two high-profile trips by Punjab officials. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was not granted permission to travel to Paris to support the Indian Hockey team at the Olympic Games, citing security reasons. Similarly, Punjab Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan was denied clearance to attend a conference of Speakers of Legislative Bodies in Kentucky, USA. These denials have sparked controversy, with accusations of the Central Government discriminating against opposition-led states. The decisions have led to a public outcry and debates over the criteria used for granting political clearances for overseas travel by state officials.