leader of Opposition in Punjab Vidhan Sabha and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MlA Sukhpal Khaira on Sunday urged the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to order an immediate time-bound inquiry and action against Shahkot’s Congress leader laddi Sherowali for “conspiring” with mining mafia to settle monthly “goonda-tax”.

Khaira lambasted the Congress leaders for allegedly indulging in illegal mining and collection of monthly “goonda-tax” from mining mafia.

Releasing a sting operation link against Shahkot “halqa” in-charge Hardev Singh alias laddi Sherowali, Khaira said that the sting has clearly indicated of deep connection of Congress MlAs and leaders with mining mafia.

“laddi is seen demanding a monthly goonda-tax from mining mafia approaching him to help them carrying out their illegitimate operations from one of the khud falling in Shahkot,” he said.

Khaira said that laddi also mentions the name of Khadur Sahib MlA Ramanjit Singh Sikki for being his associate in the sleazy business of illegal mining. “It is an open secret that laddi Sherowali and MlA Sikki are part of the Rana Gurjit Singh gang known for illegal mining operations. The sting conversation of laddi Sherowali shows that Capt Amarinder’s so-called strict orders to stop illegal mining have fallen on deaf ears,” he said.

Since Capt Amarinder had failed to take concrete action against powerful politicians behind his tweet of six khuds of Nawanshahr recently, that leaders like laddi and Sikki have again started to indulge in illegal mining, said Khaira adding that had the Chief Minister taken action against his Minister (Charanjit Singh Channi) and Rana Gurjit involved in the Mandala khud of Nawanshahar, such leaders like laddi and Sikki would never have dared to demand goonda-tax from mining mafia.

Khaira said that the sting of laddi Sherowali shows that the politician-mining mafia continues to rule the roost in Punjab.

At the same time, Khaira urged the Congress national president Rahul Gandhi not to nominate laddi Sherowali as the Congress candidate for the upcoming Shahkot by-election, as his nomination would only strengthen the politician-mining mafia nexus in Punjab and his promise of zero tolerance to corruption would become a joke.

He also urged Capt Amarinder to order a time bound inquiry into the sleazy sting of laddi Sherowali “to fix responsibility on all those, including MlA Sikki etc, for indulging in collection of goonda-tax from mining mafia of Punjab, to loot its natural resources”.