Chandigarh, October 23
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today appealed to Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria to dismiss chief minister Bhagwant Mann besides urging him grant a Rs two crore compensation to the family of slain anti-drug crusader Parvinder Singh Jhota and a class one job to the latter’s wife.
A high level delegation of the SAD, led by its president Sukhbir Singh Badal, also called for action against all ministers, legislators and civil and police officials accused of patronizing the drug trade and issuing arms licenses to drug offenders. It also urged that the ongoing CBI probe into Parvinder Jhota’s murder be expanded to cover the cases of Gulzar Singh of Toor Banjara (Dirba), who named finance minister Harpal Cheema in his dying declaration, and Bikramjit Singh of Sri Hargobindpur Sahib, who was hacked to death for opposing the drug mafia.
Briefing the Governor, the SAD president said these series of corrective steps should be taken to instill confidence in Punjabis at a critical juncture when the State was battling the scourge of drugs. He also stressed that the drug crusader’s family was a family of Punjab and even though Parvinder Jhota’s father had not asked for any personal benefit, the State must look after the family. He said Parvinder Jhota’s wife was a teacher and should be given a gazzetted class one job. Asserting that chief minister Bhagwant Mann was responsible for the murder of Parvinder Jhota, Badal cited Jhota’s father Bhim Singh’s statement to the police in which the latter highlighting how his son had been fallen victim to the politician – police nexus behind the drug trade in Punjab. He said Bhim Singh had asserted that this nexus was receiving patronage from the very top, including chief minister Bhagwant Mann. He said the anti-drug crusader’s father had also gone on record to state that his son had told him that the State DGP was behind the false cases registered against Parvinder Jhota.
SAD President Sukhbir Badal addressing the media in Chandigarh on Friday.The memorandum said these steps would send a clear message to Punjabis that enough was enough. “Punjab and Punjabis have realized that the drug menace and its perpetrators and patrons are the number one enemy of the State and that they must be dealt with most sternly”.
Later while talking to newsmen after presenting the memorandum to the Governor, Sukhbir Badal said the very fact that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government had not implemented a new law to deny bail to drug traffickers and order seizure of their entire property was prove enough that it was in cahoots with them. He said that despite 48 Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) meetings being held nationwide, Mr Bhagwant Mann had failed to convene or attend any meeting of the Narco-Coordination Centre. “This shows utter callousness towards tackling the drug menace”, he said adding the chief minister had chosen to fly off to Paris to celebrate his wife’s birthday instead of tackling the situation in the State after the killing of Parvinder Jhota.
Badal also called for banning Bhagwant Mann from travelling abroad, saying the latter used such trips to indulge in extravaganzas and money laundering. He said during the latest such trip to Paris, the chief minister had brought back luxury goods worth Rs one crore, including a Rs ten lakh woman’s bag. “He must tell Punjabis how a teacher’s son is able to indulge in such splurges?” he asked.
Replying to a media query, Badal said the SAD was a regional party and that the State was its number one priority. “Whether we come to power or not, we will continue to fight for Punjab”. He also made it clear that the SAD regarded the Congress and AAP as its enemies and was ready for an alliance with any other party which respected its ideology and principles.