Facing the allegation of murky land deals, Punjab Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa on Saturday reiterated his stand that he was open to inquiry by any agency into his “transparent transactions” as he had never committed any offence.
Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president, in fact, accused the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his deputy son Sukhbir Badal, who had been under attack over the years even from within the Akali Dal for their overt and covert deals, of being synonymous with corruption and resorting to double standards in public life.
At the same time, Bajwa expressed his resolve to carry on his fight to the logical conclusion against their corrupt and vindictive regime. Bajwa, in a statement, said that Sukhbir demanding his resignation was like the devil quoting scriptures as he himself along with his father and other associates had been facing trial in a corruption case in Mohali court when he took over this office.
The prosecution proceedings had been on even when Badal was sworn in as the Chief Minister way back in 2007 in the same case, he added. He reminded Badals that they had been acquitted in multi-crore corruption case as the witnesses, including the investigating officers, had turned hostile under pressure after the Akali Dal came into power.
Referring to Badal’s tainted image over the years, Bajwa also recalled the charge sheet released by the then Akali Dal president Jagdev Singh Talwandi and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president Jathedar Gurcharan Singh Tohra against him seeking his resignation from the office of the Chief Minister for “resorting to blatant corruption and nepotism”.
Bajwa said that big plot allotted by Haryana Government to Badals in Gurgaon where they later constructed a five-star hotel after coming into power had been resumed by the State Government at one stage. “Would Sukhbir clarify to the people as to why was this plot resumed,” he asked, adding that they had no money to pay even installments.
“How come that Badals either renovated their Chandigarh residence or come up with new hotels or new fort like houses only after coming into powerIJ It is ironic that while State’s economy has decelerated, Badals have prospered and that too only when in power,” said Bajwa.