Farmers Movement Archive

Punjab ministers seek immediate expulsion of MPs Bajwa and Dullo from Congress, Delhi watches

Two days after Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar sought strict action against party MPs Partap Singh Bajwa and Shamsher Singh Dullo, the entire Punjab cabinet on Thursday pitched for the duo’s immediate expulsion for their alleged anti-party and anti-government’ activities, which they termed as gross indiscipline.The actions of the two Rajya Sabha MPs call for immediate and strict action against them by the party high command, said the cabinet ministers, seeking dismissal of Bajwa and Dullo for attacking their own Congress government in the state over the hooch tragedy that has taken over 110 lives.The duo had slammed Amarinder Singh government over the tragedy and suggested complicity of government officials in patronising the illicit liquor mafia. They also demanded a CBI probe into the incident that recently killed at least 110 people in three districts of the state. The ministers, in a joint statement, called for cracking the whip on the two MPs without any laxity or delay. “Indiscipline could not be tolerated at any time, least of all when Assembly elections in the state are less than two years way,” their statement said, pointing to the MPs’ repeated attacks on the state government, including chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh.Also Read: Punjab hooch tragedy: Suspects will be probed irrespective of political affiliation or rank, says officerThe ministers said the two MPs had never, in their Rajya Sabha term, bothered to raise any issue of the interest of the state they represented. “Why did they not press for the completion of the ED probe into the drugs issue during the Akali regime? Why did they not protest in the House against the anti-farm Ordinances of the Union Government? Why did they never speak about the CBI’s failure to probe the sacrilege cases?” the ministers asked.The ministers alleged that the two MPs had bypassed all party and government forums to protest against the handling of the hooch tragedy and by approaching the governor seeking a CBI and ED probe into the matter. The ministers’ joint statement also pointed out that a CBI probe is needed only in cases when the police fail to deliver, which was definitely not true in this case at present. The ministers further alleged that CBI had been inefficient in investigating the sacrilege cases, which is eventually being solved by the state police.The rift within Punjab Congress has again come to the fore in the aftermath of the tragedy and the Punjab Congress leadership is hoping that party high command in Delhi will sanction the two MPs for their alleged dissidence. Also Read: Punjab Cabinet approves smartphone distribution to all Class 12 govt school students by NovemberThe statement accuses both Bajwa and Dullo of being intent on destabilising their own party’s government for either serving their own interests or of those who want to derail the Congress in Punjab.The ministers claimed that the duo had continued their offensive against the government without being even remotely apologetic.The party high command in Delhi has not taken a position on the demand so far.

Hindustan Times

06-08-2020

India