Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Badal on Friday announced that the party would write to the Punjab and Haryana High Court
Chief Justice Krishna Murari to not to approve former Judge Justice Mehtab Singh Gill’s name for the appointment as Punjab lokpal contending that the Judge was a “known Congress worker as well as Akali baiter”.
He could not be expected to perform his duties in an honest and non-partisan manner, said Sukhbir while reacting to news reports regarding Justice (retd) Mehtab Singh Gill’s name being forwarded to the Chief Justice for appointment as lokpal.
Sukhbir said that SAD would submit a detailed report on the issue to the Chief Justice and request him to reject the proposal forthwith. “We cannot have someone appointed as lokpal purely on the basis of his proximity with the Chief Minister as well as the leader of Opposition. The appointment of the lokpal cannot be a quid pro quo arrangement,” he said.
Giving details, Sukhbir said that Justice MS Gill had a long political association with the Chief Minister. “During 2013 Moga by-election, when Capt Amarinder was the Pradesh Congress president, Justice Gill not only assisted in the Congress election campaign but also provided his residence in Charik village in Moga to Capt Amarinder as residence-cum-camp office for the entire duration of campaigning,” he said.
He pointed that Justice Gill was also given an official role in Congress campaign for 2017 assembly elections with Capt Amarinder making him part of a committee which was assigned with the task of preparing blueprint for party’s election manifesto in 2016.
“Immediately, on coming into power as Chief Minister in March 2017, Capt Amarinder appointed Justice Gill as head of a Commission of Inquiry to look into alleged false cases registered during the SAD-BJP tenure. The Commission has since worked as an institution to settle scores against Akali leaders and workers. Now, the Chief Minister proposes to intensify persecution against Akali leaders and workers by moving to appoint his crony as lokpal,” he said.
Stating that Justice Gill had been benevolent on even leader of Opposition Sukhpal Khaira, the SAD president said that the Gill Commission had recommended cancellation of 17 cases registered against him and his supporters.
Calling for immediate rejection of Justice (retd) Gill’s candidature as lokpal, Sukhbir urged the Chief Justice to intervene and ensure that the new lokpal was an apolitical person whose past was above board and who enjoyed impeccable credentials.
“Appointing Justice Gill to this august post will only result in furthering the cause of vendetta politics and defeating the purpose of public good”, he added.