Punjab Congress on Sunday alleged that the judicial inquiry into the scams in the State education department and its terms of reference are neither legal nor statuary as required under the Commission of Inquiries Act, 1952, but merely an office order.
Congress had already out rightly rejected the retired Justice Jindal Commission of inquiry, in view of “his extreme scandalous close connections” with the SAD-BJP alliance. “Now, the farcical and ridiculous terms of reference of the so-called inquiry have completely vindicated our allegations of gross cover up operation, as it is not covered under the Commission of Inquiries Act, 1952,” said State Congress spokesperson Sukhpal Singh Khaira.
He said that it was shocking to learn that the so-called terms of reference do not include by designation the Education Minister, who is actually the kingpin of the scam. “It only mentions that the ambit of inquiry would include any person with a role in purchase or supply of books, science kits and map masters. It also does not include the disbursement of Rs 750 crore SSA fund during the tenure of Parampal Kaur, additional DGSE and Maluka’s daughter-in-law,” he said.
Adding, he said that the office order has restricted and limited the scope of inquiry to fix responsibility on the DGSE and other officials in order to give a clean chit to Education Minister.
Maluka’s statement holding DGSE responsible for the scam clearly indicates that the judicial inquiry is “pre-meditated, meaningless and redundant”.
“It is now abundantly clear that the said inquiry is nothing but a well planned conspiracy between the Chief Minister, Education Minister and Justice Jindal, to fix responsibility on the DGSE and other junior officials and make them scapegoats,” he said.
Also demanding to make the entire DGSE report public without further delay, Khaira said that it was also very intriguing why the Government has not taken full action on the report submitted by DGSE KS Pannu into the scam.
Severely condemning the misuse of official authority by the Education Minister in pressurising the DEO’s of the State to organise support for him through the departmental officials in the districts, Khaira said that this is yet another strategy of the Government to build public opinion in favour of the beleaguered Minister, through gross misuse of the Government machinery.
He added that it is most important for the government to initiate criminal proceedings in the scam by filing a FIR against the EM, the three-member committee and other guilty for cheating, fraud, and embezzling public exchequer money.
“Congress seeks immediate resignation of Education Minister, as there is no chance of fair and impartial inquiry. All other investigations, fact finding can run parallel, as the Justice Jindal Commission is nothing but a toothless tiger,” he added.