In the wake of dreadful Moga incident, the opposition parties, including the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), in Punjab on Sunday demanded imposition of President’s rule in the State. The State Congress president Partap Singh Bajwa has written to President Pranab Mukherjee seeking dismissal of the Parkash Singh Badal Government for converting this once the most prosperous region into “mafia State”.
On the other hand, the AAP has also submitted a petition to the President demanding the dismissal of Badal Government over the Moga molestation incident. Bajwa, in his letter, has blamed the Badal family for “rapidly deteriorating law and order situation in the State”, and “illegal and strong-arm tactics that have been consistently deployed by the Badal family to promote and further their business interests at the cost of the general public”.
“Badal family has reduced the once prosperous State of Punjab into their own personal fiefdom resulting in complete breakdown of law and order in the State. Badal family today has virtually monopolised all forms of economic activity in the State ranging from transport, cable TV, sand mining, real estate, liquor, hospitality, renewable energy, Government contracts, tenders, etc and in order to safeguard their interests in these sectors, they have reduced the Punjab Police into their private militia,” he said.
Specifically referring to the molestation and murder of a 14-year-old girl in Moga, Bajwa said: “Despite the law clearly prohibiting tinted glasses and curtains aboard public transport vehicles, this particular bus had complete impunity with all these violations and transgressions. Given the Badal nexus to these buses, it was impossible for the law enforcement agencies in Punjab to act against their illegalities.”
He said that Sukhbir Badal should have been booked for culpability in the killing of Arshdeep under Section 304-A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for criminal negligence. The examples were the Uphaar cinema fire, Uber Radio Taxi case. He stated that this was not the first such instance where the crime in the State that had Badal connection.
“Given the present facts and circumstances where the Punjab Police, instead of upholding the rule of law and discharging its constitutional obligations, is functioning to protect and shield Sukhbir Badal and his family members from the process of law, who ironically is also the Home Minister, clearly demonstrated complete breakdown of constitutional machinery,” said Bajwa adding that the only way out was the dismissal of the State Government under Article 356 and imposition of President’s rule.
On the other hand, senior AAP leader and Supreme Court lawyer HS Phoolka has submitted a petition with the President alleging that there was a “complete breakdown of constitutional machinery” in the State. “The provisions of the Constitution and the law of the land are being openly flouted by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal purely to further their business interests and illegal financial gains,” said Phoolka, who is also AAP spokesperson.
Referring to Moga incident, Phoolka said: “The people of Punjab and right-thinking citizens all over the country and abroad have been outraged and greatly pained by the appalling incident of the molestation and murder of a 13-year-old girl in the Moga district of Punjab." “What makes the incident all the more revolting is the direct admitted involvement of the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab,” he added.