Punjab Congress on Tuesday sought rejection of the ‘Knowledge Sharing Agreement’ between
Punjab and Delhi Governments, besides expressing concern over the deteriorating law and order
situation in the State.
A Congress party’s five-member delegation, led by its president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring
and the Congress Legislative Party leader Partap Singh Bajwa, met the Governor Banwari Lal
Purohit and submitted two separate memoranda regarding the two issues.
The delegation urged the Governor to terminate the knowledge-sharing agreement, signed
between the Chief Ministers of AAP-led governments in Punjab and Delhi, as it is a violation of
the Constitution and Rules of Business of the two states. The delegation pointed out that the
agreement between the two states had neither his approval nor the approval of the Lieutenant
Governor of NCT Delhi.
Congress delegation also sought Governor’s intervention in the deteriorating law and order
situation and political vendetta in registering a case against Kumar Vishwas and Alka Lamba.
In the memorandum, quoting various articles and sections of the Constitution challenging the
legality of the Knowledge Sharing Agreement, pointed out that the agreement signed by Punjab
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and his Delhi counterpart Arvind Keriwal was illegal as the CMs
of the two states had no inherent power as per the provisions of the Constitution to enter into
such an agreement without due deliberation by the Council of Ministers of their respective states
and without prior approval of the Punjab Governor as well as the Lieutenant Governor of NCT
Delhi.
It has been further pointed out that as per the Article 154, the executive power of the State shall
be vested in the Governor and it shall be exercised by him either directly or through subordinate
officers in accordance with the Constitution.
Further, the rules that every order or instrument of the government of the state of Punjab shall be
signed either by a Secretary, an Additional Secretary, a Joint Secretary, a Deputy Secretary or an
Under Secretary or such other officer as may be specially empowered by the Governor on that
and the signature so made shall be deemed to be the proper authentication of such order or
instrument, reads out the memorandum.
As per the March 29, 2021, notification of the Ministry of Law and Justice, the Chief Minister of
NCT Delhi has to seek the opinion of Lieutenant Governor before signing the Inter-state
agreement.
However, the CM of Delhi neither took the opinion nor communicated it to the Lieutenant
Governor. The agreement also breaches the oath of secrecy administered to the CM and the
Ministers.
Warring and Bajwa, briefing the reporters after submitting the memoranda, said that the
Governor told the delegation that while he did not interfere in the Government’s functioning, but
in case of any violation of the Constitution, he will take necessary measures.
Another memorandum sought the Governor’s attention towards the alarming deterioration of law
and order situation in Punjab. “Murders, loot and robbery have become norm of the day.
Criminals are going scot-free and they do not have any fear of law. The incumbent government,
headed by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, seems to have no clue about what is happening in the
State. Moreover, they are busy somewhere else and with things that are not remotely concerned
with the State,” it said.
As if that was not enough, the memorandum added, there was naked dance of anarchy and
lawlessness on April 29 in Patiala when two groups of people came face to face with naked
swords and other weapons. A religious place was brought under siege, it added.
Asserting that there was negligence on part of authorities, it said that this happened despite the
fact that the State Government had got advance intelligence inputs that tension was building up
and tempers were rising high in the city between two groups of people.
It said, on April 29, it was a complete failure of the administration and total anarchy was let
loose in the streets of Patiala. There was a sense of fear among people. This was all because the
government failed to take any timely action.
The PPCC said that the replacement of some police officers was too little and too late, and
moreover, just an eyewash to provide face saving to the government.
The PCC brought to the notice of the Governor, the misuse of Police by the AAP government.
“Among other things, we also want to bring to your kind attention the way the police is being
misused to settle personal scores with political opponents,” it said, while pointing out,
“registration of FIR against renowned poet Dr Kumar Vishwas and prominent Congress leader
Alka Lamba is an example as how the police is misused to settle personal scores”.
“We conclude with an impassioned plea to take whatever action you deem is right to safeguard
the interests of the state and ensure safety and security of the citizens of the State. Also, it is
important to restore the people’s confidence in the rule of law, which this Government, under
Bhagwant Mann, has failed to do so far,” said the PPCC.