Chandigarh, April 26
Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa on Sunday sharply criticised Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over his move to seek the President’s intervention for the “recall” of AAP Rajya Sabha MPs, calling it constitutionally untenable and politically evasive. Bajwa said the Chief Minister’s statement reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of the constitutional framework, emphasising that there is no provision for a “right to recall” Members of Parliament in India.
“Instead of indulging in headline-driven politics, Bhagwant Mann must recognise that the Constitution does not permit the recall of MPs. Such statements only expose the AAP leadership’s confusion and are aimed at deflecting attention from their internal crisis,” Bajwa said.
Raising a pointed question, Bajwa asked who was responsible for selecting and sending these very MPs to the Rajya Sabha. “It was Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann who handpicked these individuals and sent them to Parliament. If today there is dissatisfaction or political fallout, the responsibility squarely lies with those who made these choices,” he added.
Bajwa further remarked that the developments highlight a deeper issue within the AAP’s decision-making structure, where critical choices affecting Punjab are taken without broader consultation or accountability. “Punjab was promised transparent and accountable governance. Instead, we are witnessing ad hoc decisions followed by public posturing when those decisions face scrutiny,” he said.
Taking the argument further, Bajwa asserted that if the AAP leadership is genuinely advocating accountability through a recall mechanism, it should be willing to subject itself to the same standard. “If Bhagwant Mann believes in the principle of recall, then he should first apply it to himself and his government. The people of Punjab have every right to question a government that has failed to live up to its commitments,” Bajwa said. He concluded by stating that Punjab deserves clarity, constitutional propriety, and responsible leadership—not political narratives that lack legal grounding.
