Farmers Movement Archive

Punjab Congress affairs incharge meets CM Channi, Navjot Sidhu amid standoff over appointments

All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary in-charge of Punjab affairs Harish Chaudhary on Monday held a meeting with chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi and state party president Navjot Singh Sidhu amid a tense standoff between the two over senior government appointments and action in the sacrilege and drug cases. The meeting was held barely two-and-a-half hours after the Punjab Congress chief, who has been opposed to the appointment of APS Deol and Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota as the state’s advocate general (AG) and director general of police (DGP), targeted his own party’s government and the two officers at a press conference. Sidhu came to the meeting with cabinet minister Pargat Singh. The PPCC chief, who has been adamant on the removal of the AG and the top cop, again took up the issue that has remained unresolved despite the CM’s assurances. Sidhu and Deol are locked in a war of words with both accusing each other of obstructing justice in the sacrilege and drug cases. Deol had tendered his resignation to the CM last week, but it is still to be accepted. The three also discussed the bills and resolutions pertaining to power purchase agreements (PPAs), BSF jurisdiction and the three farm laws to be brought by the government in the state assembly on November 11, a person familiar with the development said. Cabinet minister Raj Kumar Verka said that Chaudhary first met the CM and the state chief separately and then they held a joint meeting wherein all these issues were discussed at length. “The misunderstandings are getting cleared and everything will be sorted out in the next two days. If any officer is a proving an impediment in these cases or needs to be taken off, he will be replaced,” the minister told reporters after the meeting. An aide of PPCC chief said there was a discussion on the organisational set-up of the party. Meanwhile, Congress MP from Anandpur Sahib Manish Tewari also targeted the Punjab government for not challenging the issue of increased BSF jurisdiction in the Supreme Court. “It has been close to a month now Central Govt by notification has extended @BSF_India operational remit in Punjab to 50 Kilometres. Why till now notification has not been challenged by @PunjabGovtIndia under Article 131 in Supreme Court of India Is opposition to it mere tokenism? (sic)” he tweeted. The Channi-led government had recently held an all-party meeting on the issue and is holding a two-day session of the state assembly to oppose the Centre’s notification on the BSF jurisdiction. The matter is scheduled to come up in the assembly on Thursday.

Hindustan Times

09-11-2021

Chandigarh