A divided Punjab Congress seems to be getting united against the ruling SAD-BJP Government in connection with the multi-crore drug scam.
A day after Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Partap Singh Bajwa sought an independent probe by CBI or under the sitting Supreme Court judge, leader of Opposition in Vidhan Sabha Sunil Kumar Jakhar on Tuesday supported his demand.Declaring that the state Congress unit “stands united” against drug mafia and those leaders involved in it, Jakhar maintained that the issue would be raised strongly in the ensuing Vidhan Sabha session.
He announced that the party would press for its demand to seek state Revenue Minister Bikram Majithia’s resignation by cornering the SAD-BJP government in the assembly, and by taking our protest to the streets, holding dharnas or gheraoing Chief Minister residence.
Earlier, former chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh had opposed the party’s demand for CBI probe. Capt Amarinder’s opposition to the CBI probe into Rs 6,000 crore drug racket case, coupled with the pat on the back of the Punjab police investigating the case, derailed the Congress’ “effective” campaign against drugs. Capt Amarinder is the only Congress leader who opposed the CBI probe at that time, while all the opposition parties, including the People's Party of Punjab, and the Aam Aadmi Party sided with the Congress demand.
SAD was, in fact, hemmed in from all sides after separate pleas were moved in the High Court seeking CBI probe by the Congress leader Jagmeet Brar and one of the accused in the matter Jagjit Singh Chahal, along with the Congress’ programme of staging series of protests in districts.
It was also believed that the government has, at that moment, contemplated on the lines of ordering a judicial probe in the matter. But, all went in vain following Capt Amarinder’s statement.Taking on the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for “shielding” Majithia, Jakhar asked that either Majithia should resign or the Chief Minister should ask him to step down and join the investigations in Rs 6000 crore drug racket case.
he decision to raise the matter in the assembly and target the state government was taken during the ClP meeting, attended by around 40 MlAs at Jakhar’s residence. AICC secretary in-charge of the state party affairs Harish Chaudhary and in-charge AICC SC Cell K Raju — also attended the meeting.The party demanded a “time-bound enquiry” in the drug case to be monitored by the sitting judge of the Supreme Court. “The state government should conduct an inquiry by the central probe agency, CBI, as presently it is under the BJP,” said Jakhar.
He informed that the meeting also discussed several other issues concerning the people of the state, and the party would raise the issues of diversion of SC welfare grants by the state government, irregularities in Shagun scheme, unemployment allowance, besides others in Vidhan Sabha session.