A political storm is brewing in Punjab after the Enforcement Directorate, under the Union Ministry of Finance, issued summons to Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia in the multi-crore drug racket case.
The main Opposition Congress has sought his removal and brought in a no confidence motion in the ongoing Winter Session of the Assembly on Tuesday. BJP, a part of the ruling coalition in the state too has sought Majithia’s resignation. The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal, nevertheless, backed the powerful minister, the brother in-law of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and brother of Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal.
Punjab Congress will move a no-confidence motion against the Akali Dal-BJP alliance Government in the state. The announcement to this effect was made by Congress legislature Party leader Sunil Jakhar.
Congress leader Jakhar said as it was BJP chief Kamal Sharma who had also raised the demand for his resignation, it was his party that should have moved the no-confidence motion or announced withdrawal of support to the Akali Dal.
He said BJP should not continue in the government following the rejection of Sharma’s demand by Badal. The ClP leader said BJP had been part of the Badal government for the past seven-and-a-half years and as such, could not absolve itself by just raising the demand for the resignation of Majithia.
“The BJP was part and parcel of all acts of omission and commission of the Badal government,” he told reporters here after chairing the ClP meeting. He said if BJP had the moral courage, it should move the no-confidence motion and the Congress would support it.
The no-confidence motion moved by Congress would be a test for the BJP. In the past too, BJP and SAD in the state had come out in open against each other on several issues, including property tax, fee on Change of land Use, and sand and gravel prices.
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said the SAD-BJP government “fully and gladly accepts the challenge of the Opposition” which has moved a no confidence motion against in the assembly. “We have great regard for the highest democratic values and traditions of parliamentary democracy. And we fully respect the role and rights of the opposition in a democratic set up,” Badal said. He defended Majithia.