Punjab Cabinet Minister Sarwan Singh Phillaur on Thursday put in his papers from the State Government “on moral grounds”. The move came following reports of alleged involvement of his son, Damanjit Singh, in the multi-crore drug trade.
Phillaur, holding the portfolios of Jails, Tourism and Cultural Affairs, quit following “some adverse though false and misleading reports in a section of the press against a member of his family,” read the official statement.
The Minister submitted his resignation letter to the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in New Delhi, who was in the national capital on his way to Ahmedabad to attend the swearing-in ceremony of his Gujarat’s new counterpart.
Phillaur, in his resignation, stated, “Although the media reports in question have no basis in truth and are totally false and grossly misleading, yet I am resigning from the Council of Ministers on moral grounds to uphold the highest traditions of our party, the Shiromani Akali Dal.”
He said that he had taken the decision to maintain complete transparency and accountability, and also “to keep up my own impeccable record of personal and professional honesty and integrity in my long political career” spanning four decades.
The Minister further told the Chief Minister that he was a strong votary of social and political uprightness and transparency and had always conducted himself with dignity and decorum in his long career.
Ever since the Punjab police cop-turned-drug lord Jagdish Bhola has alleged involvement of a certain politician in the State of sheltering the drug trade, allegations have been flying thick and fast with the State Congress demanding a CBI inquiry into the issue.
The names of several politicians, including Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia, Phillaur’s son Damanjit Singh, among others have surfaced, with the Enforcement Directorate also issuing warrants in Damanjit’s name.
Not responding to the ED’s summons, Damanjit had gone abroad the same day, and is yet to return.
Notably, Punjab Congress chief Partap Bajwa had made a case for investigation of the drug trade by the central agency by writing an open letter to the Chief Minister contending that “easy availability of drugs and manufacture within the State is not possible without political patronage and police nexus.”
Phillaur made scapegoat to save Majithia's skin: Cong
Chandigarh: Demanding immediate dismissal of Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia, Punjab Congress on Thursday maintained that Sarwan Singh Phillaur, who submitted his resignation from the Cabinet, has been made a scapegoat to save Majithia as he happened to be brother-in-law of Deputy Chief Minister and SAD president Sukhbir Badal.
“Following Phillaur’s resignation, it is logical that the Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia be sacked without any delay,” said State party chief Partap Singh Bajwa.
The party has also sought registration of criminal case against Majithia, and probe by the CBI “to unearth the political-drug mafia nexus as now they cannot term the CBI as Congress Bureau of Investigation”.
Claiming it a victory of the State Congress unit, Bajwa said that they had all along been raising this issue and even BJP had, in one of its election ads, “openly conceded” our stand.
“The first name to surface in drug smuggling racket was that of Majithia during lok Sabha elections, biggest issue that had emerged all over the State was drug smuggling. Drugs and other narcotics are being supplied freely and a strong smuggler-police-politician nexus has developed in Punjab,” said Bajwa.
Reiterating the party’s demand for a CBI inquiry into drug smuggling racket, Bajwa said that before that, Majithia must be sacked.
“Now the onus lies on the BJP and the SAD...they should at least now order the CBI probe as CBI would no longer be misused as they were apprehending earlier. Main accused is Majithia, and others were made to put in their papers, under pressure, by making them scapegoats,” said Bajwa.
The party has also termed Phillaur resignation as “farce, drama and a clever ploy to protect and shield the actual culprit Majithia,” by making him a scapegoat.
“Within hours after Bhola directly named Majithia as kingpin of drug trafficking in Punjab before a large section of media in Mohali, Sukhbir and DGP Sumedh Singh Saini gave Majithia a clean chit without any appropriate investigation which clearly indicate that Punjab police have no courage to question or arrest Majithia as he is Sukhbir’s brother-in-law,” said party’s senior leader Sukhpal Khaira.
“If Badal is genuinely serious in upholding ethics and moral standards in politics, he must also ask Anil Joshi, Sikander Singh Maluka and Gulzar Singh Ranike to resign, as they are facing serious criminal and corruption charges,” he added.