South Asian Desk: Indian Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann expressed desire to attend the World Punjabi Conference in Lahore, claiming he had received an invitation, while taking a jab at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over whether it would allow him to visit Pakistan.

The 4th International Punjabi Confer¬e¬nce is scheduled for Nov 27-29 in Lahore.

Mann made the remarks while addressing the Indian Punjab assembly. “They do not even let me go to France or Japan. How will they let me go to Pakistan?” he said, in a jibe at the BJP-led government in Delhi.

In a video posted on his official YouTube channel, Mann said many poets from Indian Punjab would travel to the conference. “I also want to go, because our roots are one, our problems are also similar,” he said.

The CM mentioned the invitation after reciting verses by Pakistani Punjabi poet Tajammul Kaleem. He said he had spoken to Pakistani Punjabi poet, Baba Najmi and received the invitation, adding that people on both sides of the border shared a culture and should interact.

Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan replied, “If you get permission, take us along as well.”

At this, voices of some other members also rose from within the house, endorsing what the speaker said.

Mann also demanded the reopening of the Kartarpur corridor, sacred to Sikhs.

Ties between India and Pakistan have been extremely strained since a four-day battle last year, with limited trade and diplomatic contact. Social media users in both countries called Mann’s wish pleasant despite the chill.