Asserting that the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his Deputy Chief Minister son Sukhbir Badal had virtually abdicated their authority, Congress legislative Party (ClP) leader Sunil Jakhar on Thursday reiterated that Punjab was a fit case for the President’s rule.
“The credibility and confidence of this government has already touched its nadir,” said Jakhar while pointing out how Chief Minister himself was asking people to themselves go to Panchayats if they did not believe in the police investigation. “They have made themselves a laughing stock and Punjab cannot afford that,” he warned, while remarking, “it looks like a theatre of absurd”.
Referring to Badal’s appeal to the people to cross-check police investigations with Panchayats, Jakhar said that it only indicated that the Chief Minister not only believed himself that the police investigations to be sham and shoddy, but he also acknowledged the crisis of credibility his government was facing.
Taking a dig at Sukhbir, the ClP leader asked, “where is the Sukhbir BadalIJ” He pointed out, “While the Deputy Chief Minister had preferred to go into hiding and leaving the Chief Minister to face the ire of the people.”
Jakhar expressed serious concern over the police department sharing the details of the investigations with known hardliners and erstwhile terrorists before releasing these to the public.
“Deputy Chief Minister appears to have given up his role as Home Minister and has instead donned the role of a religious preacher and is advising people to hold akhand path,” Jakhar pointed out.
He said, “Instead of summoning the meeting of the home or police department, he is learnt to have summoned the meeting of the SGPC.”
ClP leader regretted, while the Badals are busy in enacting the theatre of absurd, Punjab was suffering.
Jakhar said, in the season of festivals, the shopkeepers were looking forward to doing some brisk business. “But unfortunately, the bazaars are wearing a deserted look similar to the dark days of terrorism as the shops and the business establishments are either being forced to shut down or are closing due to fear of life and property,” he observed, while warning that the situation cannot be allowed to continue like this and “the President’s rule is a must”.